White Houses
by Hikari-and-Yami
Summary: Yugi flees to a new home to forget the past but Atemu, a new flame in his life, won't let him. Now, he has to face his nightmare in order to take control of his life once more in a story about love, redemption, and friendship. YYY SJ BR MM
1. Undone

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh or 'White Houses' by Vanessa Carlton.

_Italicized_: Yugi's thoughts

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Chapter 1: Undone

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_"Crashed on the floor when I moved in  
This little bungalow with some strange new friends.  
It's alright and it's nice not to be so alone  
But I hold on to your secrets in White Houses."_

_~White Houses by Vanessa Carlton_

There's a reason Aries is the first zodiac sign. Though the calendar begins in January, regards to Julius Caesar, it was believed that the beginning of spring was the true start of the new year. Spring symbolized birth and beginnings. The blossom of flowers, the warm air that offered comfort after a chilling winter, the morning dew that grazed front lawns, the jubilant laughter of children, and the sense that everything prior to Spring was the past and was meant to be forgotten. It was a chance to start over, to forget all of the grievances and wrongs of the previous year. Another opportunity to perfect the present and change the future; to begin anew.

That was Yugi's thought process the moment he stepped out of the taxi, grabbing his belongings, and paying the driver who merely grunted an incoherent reply. It wasn't a second later that the car disappeared down the street leaving Yugi on the sidewalk to stare up at the imposing structure before him. At the age of 21, Yugi was rather short and his features were that of a child which caused many people to mistake him for one. He sported a torso-hugging black sleeveless shirt with a slim white jacket over it. He wore blue jeans and a belt that hung around his hips lazily. His eyes, round and wide, resembled an iris, a rare amethyst color swirling with uncertainty. The eyes were framed with black, sooty lashes that only emphasized the loveliness of the youth's face.

Over the past weeks, his eyes had become increasingly dull but he had somehow still managed to retain some of their innocence. Petal-like lips graced his once creamy complexion that had grown pale from the lack of sleep and nutrition. Bangs bleached the color of gold hugged onto the side of his face the remainder of his hair defied gravity and stood up towards the sky, a violet tint at its end. His hair looked a bit more tousled than usual as the tips sagged down as if they had grown tired of standing straight. Though tiredness and disappointment assaulted every single striking feature of his, someone would be both blind and stupid to say that he was anywhere near unattractive. His infinite beauty managed to crack through his lifeless state, leaving one to only wonder how breathtaking the young man was when his life wasn't shattering to the ground around his very feet, breaking off into sharp, jagged pieces that scratched and scarred his insides.

The house wasn't huge but it was certainly bigger than his previous home. It was a pure white with black shutters framing the windows placed in various spots. It was a one-story house but was wide and tall nonetheless. Gazing down the quiet street, Yugi absently noticed how every, single house was exactly the same. This didn't surprise him since he it was already expected. The little neighborhood he had seen on the Internet while searching for a new place to live, or rather a new place to hide, lived up to its name.

Serene Oasis was a common place for college students. Each house contained four, relatively large bedrooms along with a living room, bathroom, and kitchen. Each bedroom was rented out at a decent price, providing struggling students with an alternative for the costly prices of boarding at college. Some people who had already graduated continued to live here so that they could start working and saving without worrying too much about a place to live. As long as you didn't mind having several roommates than there was never really a problem.

Intelligent beyond his years, Yugi managed to graduate from college at the age of 20, where he majored in mathematics and minored in psychology. College was not the reason he was here nor did he really have the strength to live in a house with strangers. However, he knew that if he planned on doing anything productive in his life that he would have to start from the bottom. He didn't have the money to live alone and Serene Oasis was very close to the center of town where he could hopefully find some type of employment.

Yugi continued to gaze at the perfectly sized house before looking down at a small crumbled piece of paper in his hand that had the number 11 on it. Glancing at the red mailbox in front of him, Yugi confirmed that he was at the right house. The smell of fresh-cut grass prickled his nose and Yugi could tell that the lawn had just been mowed. Although the entire neighborhood was relatively clean and attractive, the house in front of him outshined them all. It wasn't difficult to guess that someone with the passion for perfection lived here.

A duffle bag swung over one shoulder and a rather large suitcase held tightly in his hand, Yugi walked up the wooden stairs, stopping each step to reconsider this rash decision that he had made only the day before. Releasing a small sigh, Yugi let his hand rest on the doorknob, his fingers clutching to the round edges as he leaned forward and rested his forehead against the white door.

As guilty as he felt for leaving his grandfather alone, Yugi knew that he could no longer live in the house that he had grown up in. It held to many memories that only caused him grief and misery. The longer he stayed, the further his pain was pushing him towards insanity. Maybe he would be able to sleep for more than an hour without a nightmare startling him back into reality. Maybe he'd be able to walk into his room without collapsing onto his knees in tears. Maybe he could learn how to breathe again.

Not realizing that he had turned the knob during his last thought, the door swung open under Yugi's weight, forcing the youth to fall forward on his face, his bags following in suite. A frustrated growl escaped his lips as Yugi reached his hands out in front of him and pushed up so that he was resting on his palms and knees.

Maybe he was wrong.

He was so engrossed in his thoughts that he didn't even notice the hand that reached out in front of his face until someone had cleared their throat. Yugi looked up in surprise to see concerned amber eyes watching him with the slightest glint of curiosity.

"Hey man. You alright there?"

Yugi blinked at the man before looking back down at the hand that was being offered to him. Surprise lit up those violet eyes at the unnecessary act of kindness especially when the man bent down and pulled him to his feet after realizing that Yugi wasn't going to accept the help offered to him.

"There." A grin fell onto the man's face. "Good as new. The name's Katsuya but feel free to call me Jou. All my friend's do."

Katsuya, Yugi noted, was a man no older than 23 with a mane of sandy blonde that fell short of his broad shoulders. Adorned in a red, dress shirt and light blue jeans, Katsuya stood tall at 6'1'' towering over Yugi who was a foot shorter. Yugi noticed that the blonde had not yet shifted or squirmed under his observing eyes which showed Yugi that Katsuya was confident and patient. When Yugi realized that he was also being examined by the curious amber orbs, he couldn't help but turn his gaze towards the ground.

"Yugi."

"Huh?"

Yugi tilted his head slightly. "My name."

It took Jou a few moments to gather the information that Yugi was disclosing to him. After the minutes of uninterrupted silence, he was slightly caught of guard when Yugi suddenly spoke up causing his mind to reboot and take in the other's words a little bit slower than it would originally. Yugi noticed this with slight interest. So Katsuya wasn't perfect after all.

After another moment, a goofy grin appeared on the blonde's face. "Nice to meet ya'. Here, I'll show you to your room," Jou offered and Yugi just nodded to signal that he would follow. It was then that Yugi realized that they were in a kitchen. The walls were an off-white color that reminded Yugi of home. The thought alone made Yugi's heart shiver. There was an oven, a refrigerator, and a microwave along with several cabinets that Yugi could only assume were filled with various plates, bowls, and cups. A long wooden table covered with decorative tablecloths sat steadily in the middle of the room encircled by four chairs. The cleanliness of the rather large kitchen surprised Yugi. Immediately eliminating the man with the wrinkled shirt and untamed blonde mane that led him through the house as the culprit, Yugi found himself slightly interested in meeting his other roommates.

His curiosity was quenched sooner than he had hoped. Upon departure from the kitchen, the two men arrived in what Yugi guessed was the living room. A long jade green sofa rested peacefully in the center a matching loveseat beside it. A coffee table stood on four short legs in front of the couch with multiple magazines littered on top. A flat screen TV hung from the wall and Yugi observed the various game consoles attached to the impressive television set. He used to love games…

What called out to Yugi's attention more than the furnishings were the two men sitting on the couch engaged in what seemed like an updated version of Monopoly. "Jou, Malik rolled for you while you were gone," one of them said without looking up.

"Yeah, and you owe me 1, 600 dollars for landing on my—"

The man with tantalizing lavender eyes stopped short the moment he realized that they were an even amount of people in the room. The Egyptian heritage shone through the man's unique eye designs and the tan colored skin. Platnium blonde hair reached his angled shoulders and Yugi could tell that the man was very well-built for his age which he assumed was 23 as well.

"Hello," Malik greeted with a friendly smile. "Are you our new roommate?"

"No Malik, he's an axe murderer and I'm just giving him a tour around the house. You know, just in case he wants to kill us," Jou replied before Yugi's mind could even fathom the question.

Malik glared at the blonde before gazing back at Yugi. By this time, the other man on the couch had stood up and walked over to the duo, snow white hair running down his back and framing his round face. By the ironed blue shirt and tamed white mane, Yugi concluded that he had found his obsessive-compulsive roommate.

Brown eyes smiled down at him. "Hello. My name's Ryou." He pointed to the couch over his shoulder. "And that's Malik. You are…"

"Yugi."

"Yugi," Ryou repeated as if he was digesting the name and writing it into his memory. "Well, it's a pleasure to have you here. Come," he beckoned as he took a seat back on the couch and motioned towards the loveseat. "Let's get to know each other since we'll be living together."

Sensing Yugi's overwhelming reluctance, Jou gently pushed the shorter towards the seat before sitting down besides Malik. Slowly, Yugi released his suitcase but let the duffle bag remain over his shoulder. He sat on the edge of the seat and it looked as if he wasn't really sitting at all.

"So, what brings you here, Yugi?" Malik asked. The way the life in Yugi's eyes broke at the simple inquiry forced Malik to bite back a gasp. Ryou noticed the sudden shift in the atmosphere as well and he quickly replaced the question with another.

"How long will you be staying with us?"

_Who knows? _Yugi said to himself. He looked up into the expectant gazes of these strange new people and smiled though it was broken in several places. "I'm sorry," Yugi apologized softly. "The trip here was tiring. I need to unpack and get some rest."

Ryou returned Yugi's smile. "It's quite alright. We understand." He motioned to the door in the left corner of the living room. "That's your room. If you need anything, just let one of us know."

Yugi looked at the door and then back to Ryou before nodding his head and disappearing with his luggage behind the safety of the wooden barrier leaving three very concerned youths in his wake. The moment the door closed behind him, Yugi felt his knees give out from underneath him.

It was 5: 45 pm.

It had been three hours since Yugi had arrived at his new home. His suitcase was tossed in the corner of his room besides his duffle bag, neither of them even touched since he arrived. His room consisted on a full sized bed and a bureau that stood up against the wall. Besides his bed was a small nightstand that sat underneath a round mirror. A window shaded with violet curtains was mounted on the wall closest to his bed. The only evidence that there was actually someone in the room was the shallow breaths that mixed with the silence of the night.

Yugi laid on his bed, not even bothering to get under the covers, as he stared at the ceiling as if waiting for it to do something extraordinary. One look at his blank expression was all it took for someone to realize that Yugi was not really there. No, instead he was battling an internal war and losing with each passing moment.

Part of him wanted so badly to belong here. If there was anywhere where he could learn how to live again, then he wished it for it to be here. The better part of him knew that he was being foolish. He was meant to be alone. That had been proven to him already. However, his life was given to him as a farewell present and he had promised to live it regardless of anything that happened. And that's when another argument appeared. If he didn't at least try then was he really living? Was life measured by the number of breaths you took? Or by the effort you put into each breath?

Swinging his legs over to the side of the bed, Yugi used the support of the nightstand to get to his feet. When that was accomplished, Yugi trudged over to his bedroom door and leaned his ear against the wooden surface. When no sound greeted him, Yugi slowly pulled the door open and scanned the living room for any sign of human life. Before he could make any assumption as to his roommates' whereabouts, an eruption of light-hearty laughter reached his ears.

Yugi glanced at the door that led to the kitchen before reaching out to push it open. He stopped the moment his hand touched the hard surface. What was he trying to prove? And who was he trying to prove it to? These along with so many other unanswerable questions circled his head. So, he was caught off guard when the door disappeared from underneath his palm, leaving his hand cold and grasping for the support that had been ripped from right in front of his very eyes. Suddenly, he felt like he wasn't talking about the door anymore.

"Yugi?" Ryou said with no intention of hiding the surprise in his voice.

"H-hi," Yugi greeted weakly. He immediately regretted leaving the peace and solitude of his room. He should have stayed where he belonged. Ryou had obviously sensed the other's uncertainty as he wrapped a hand around Yugi's thin wrist and tugged him into the kitchen. The light atmosphere in the capacious room contrasted almost painfully to the intensity of his room. It was easier for Yugi to breathe in here. The fresh scent of muffins teased him, making him realize just how hungry he was. Jou and Malik looked up from the table, smiles painted on their faces as if permanently stuck there.

"Hey Yug'. I hope you had a good nap," Jou welcomed earnestly and Yugi could practically touch the genuine sentiment that laced the blonde's words. Yugi thought it was sad how such meaningless words could affect him, only proving that his need for acceptance and comfort was beyond pathetic. _He_ was beyond pathetic.

"Would you like to join us for dinner, Yugi?" Ryou invited softly. The doe-eyed youth opened the oven and peeked at his muffins, poking them gently with the tip of a plastic knife. With a satisfied sigh, Ryou turned his head to look at Yugi, his eyes shining with anticipation as he waited for the other's answer. Yugi turned his gaze to the floor, knowing that it would be easier to decline the man's offer without those bright, brown eyes staring into his soul, unraveling the secrets that Yugi had spent weeks burying into the deepest parts of his heart.

"No, I wouldn't want to be a burden," Yugi assured with equal politeness. The blank faces on the three young faces unnerved him. Had he offended the boys who had showed him so much kindness? Yugi's heart sank into the pit of his stomach but before he could apologize, a choir of laughter reached his ears causing Yugi to feel even more uncomfortable than before. He waited patiently for the ravenous laughter to dissipate until only small snickers floated around the once soothing atmosphere. Ryou was the first one who was able to regain his composure.

"Yugi, why would you ever say something like that? You wouldn't be a burden." A smile came to Ryou's lips. "Now Jou, he's a burden."

"Am not!"

"No?" Malik mused. "You practically demolished our food supply for the next two weeks."

A red tint came to the blonde's face. "I was hungry."

"How ever _will _Kaiba support your eating habit?" Ryou teased.

As the conversation between the three friends continued, the corners of Yugi's lips twitched and his eyes shined with a little more life than before but that was the only indication that he had found the argument amusing.

"Anyways," Jou said, returning his attention to Yugi who had remained quiet during the entire exchange. "You'll love Ryou's muffins! They're the best. Oh, and we have a few friends coming over for dinner as well." At the instant panic that filled Yugi's child-like features, Jou added quickly: "There just like us though. Just a little more…"

"Crazy?" Ryou offered only to receive a fleeting glare from the blond.

"Oh…" Yugi replied, his tone holding no emotion in it whatsoever. He turned back towards the kitchen door and sighed. "I'll be back."

Jou raised a thin eyebrow before standing from his seat. "Yeah, me too. I have to grab something from my room."

Malik nodded absently while an unspoken message passed in between Ryou and Jou before the blonde exited the room with Yugi in tow. Malik waited a moment after the two had left to voice his concerns. "He's quiet," he said softly.

Ryou's smile fell. "I'm sure he's just nervous. He doesn't even know any of us. It's only his first night."

Malik shook his head. "You know that it's more than just that, Ryou. I can't help but worry about him. No one should be so…" Malik paused as he searched his vocabulary for a fitting word only to find one that could truly describe the vibe that radiated off of the amethyst-eyed youth. "Sad."

A small sigh escaped Ryou's lips. "I admit, he seems more distant than the others but, hopefully, after a few more days, he'll adjust. Until then, we do what we always do." Ryou reached over to turn off the oven. "Offer our friendship."

"And if he doesn't want it?"

Ryou shot his skeptic companion a steady glance. "The offer will remain regardless off his acceptance."

"Why do you always do this to yourself, Ryou?"

Brown eyes looked at him, confusion dancing in the soft orbs mingled with the light the kitchen provided. "You think you can fix everyone," Malik said, answering Ryou's silent question. "You think everyone's...fixable. Some people are just too broken sometimes, Ryou. They can't be fixed."

Ryou shook his head. "No one's beyond repair, Malik." And after a short pause, reminded softly: "You weren't."

Malik tensed lightly. That was true. Ryou hadn't given up on him when he had first come to live here. No matter how many times he had pushed Ryou away. The white-haired youth was definitely stubborn when it came to helping people. That was a fact not to be messed with or altered. After a few months, Ryou had eventually taught him how to emerge from his cold façade and pessimistic attitude that had surfaced shortly after his disownment. Malik subconsciously sighed, allowing his eyes linger on the door that Jou and Yugi had exited only minutes before. If Yugi could find help anywhere, then it would be here.

The sound of the doorbell deterred Malik's thought process. Lavender eyes locked onto the door before switching over to Ryou who was just taking out his infamous, chocolate-chip muffins. The second shrill of the doorbell made Ryou look up into Malik's impending gaze.

"Can't you see that I'm busy?" Ryou asked, annoyance clearly seeping into his voice at Malik's laziness. Malik only shrugged, making no apparent attempt to get the door. The third ring, this time long and drawn-out, signaling that the person on the other side of the door was growing increasingly impatient, forced Ryou to grab a newspaper and swing across the back of Malik's head.

"Get your ass up and get the door!"

A scowl embedded onto his face, Malik stood to his feet while rubbing the back of his head but not without mumbling some obscenities at his white-haired friend who just shrugged them off. Just as the fourth ring of the bell was being initiated, Malik swung the door open, his joy only escalating at seeing his friends' smiling faces.

_Not._

Jou sat on the edge of the bed cross-legged as he watched Yugi brush out his hair that seemed to not want to cooperate with him. He ignored the fact that Yugi's belongings were still unpacked in the corner of the dimly lit room. Taking one look around the closed space, he realized that the only thing that had been touched was the bed. Something else sparked his interest. It wasn't something that was there. It was something that was missing.

There were absolutely no pictures of family members. Living in Serene Oasis since he was 18, Jou had found it almost customary for new people to put up pictures and frames of their loved ones. Part of him told him that Yugi just hadn't gotten to it yet while the other part told him that no such pictures existed.

"Katsuya."

Jou turned to look at Yugi and could practically see the defeat written in the other's features. "Yeah?"

Yugi had not stopped brushing out his hair and still had his face towards the mirror. His eyes were closed and Jou could see the way Yugi's knuckles turned white due to how tight he was holding the brush. "You know you don't have to wait for me," Yugi all but whispered. The sentence alone stunned Jou into silence. It wasn't the words so much as the tone. It was said as if Yugi didn't believe he was worth the time. As if he wasn't worth anything.

After a few moments of silence where the only thing that could be heard was the quiet brush strokes of Yugi's hair, Jou smiled. "I know I don't have to," the blonde replied. Violet eyes opened to stare at him through the mirror, void completely of any emotion that Jou had to resist the urge to reach out and hug Yugi. "I want to." A minimal amount of surprise flashed in Yugi's eyes but it left as quickly as it came.

_Why? _Yugi asked, though not expecting an answer since he had said it to himself. Placing the brush back down on the nightstand, Yugi turned towards Jou. "I'm ready."

Jou nodded his head and uncrossed his legs before standing to his feet. As they exited the short man's room and walked towards the kitchen door, Yugi tilted his head. "Don't you have to get something from your room?"

Jou paused, his hand already on the kitchen door, before turning around to flash Yugi a sheepish grin. "No."

Before Yugi could respond, Jou opened the door and walked into the heavily occupied room. "It's about bloody time!" said an extremely annoyed voice and Yugi was thankful that Jou's tall body hid his. "I'm starving and you know how Ryou gets when everybody's not at the table."

"Bakura," Ryou admonished. "If you were a little bit more patient then maybe people wouldn't run in the other direction when they see you." Brown eyes locked onto Jou followed by a small frown. "Where's Yugi?"

"Yugi?" a silky, baritone voice repeated. "Who's Yugi?"

If he wasn't having a nervous breakdown then Yugi would have noticed the way his name rolled off the unknown man's tongue. Instead, he was making a break for the door only to have Jou turn around and grab his wrist. The moment Jou moved, Yugi could see several pairs of eyes lock onto him. Any strength that he had to leave evaporated into the room at that very moment.

"Ah, Yugi!" Ryou smiled happily, oblivious the shorter man's mental state. "Glad you could join us." He turned to the others. "Yugi's our new roommate."

Yugi directed his gaze towards the floor as he cursed himself for ever agreeing to come to dinner. He restrained himself from walking out the door when a man with the most alluring crimson eyes brought his attention back to reality by clearing his throat. "Yugi," the man said and Yugi immediately identified the voice as the one whom spoke his name only a few moments prior.

"My name is Atemu. That's Kaiba," he introduced as he pointed to a brunet who greeted him with a small head nod. "Bakura." He pointed to a man that looked like a darker version of Ryou. The similarity actually surprised Yugi. Bakura acknowledged him with a small salute. "And Marik." Yugi looked at the man standing next to Bakura who had an uncanny resemblance to Malik with the exception of his hair that shot up in several directions. Atemu turned back to Yugi. "It's nice to meet you."

Atemu, Yugi noted, was a stunning man in his early twenties. His hair, though similar to Yugi's, stood straight towards the sky in a proud manner. Instead of purple, Atemu's hair was tinted an eloquent red and had several more blonde bangs that framed his face and others that fell back into the rest of his hair. Standing about a head taller than Yugi, Atemu's complexion was painted a gentle tan color that revealed his Egyptian heritage. Dressed in a simple red shirt and a pair of dark blue jeans, Yugi could honestly say that Atemu was the most handsome man he had ever seen.

Yugi bit his lip in a refusal to speak. This action caused Atemu to turn to Ryou. "Is he mute?" Atemu asked curiously.

Ryou quickly shook his head. "No and he's certainly not deaf either."

"He's just shy," Jou said as he led Yugi to the table and seated the quiet youth before taking a seat as well.

Yugi tried to hide behind his bangs when he felt several eyes watching him with slight interest. He felt better when all of the attention suddenly centered on Jou and the brunet beside him, who Atemu had introduced as Kaiba that had eyes so blue, it put the majestic color of the ocean to shame. Yugi watched as the two began to argue about something and blinked when he realized the intensity and passion in the two pairs of eyes. He could only assume that the two men were lovers.

Besides Kaiba, sat Ryou and Bakura followed by Malik and Marik leaving only one place for Atemu to sit. Noticing the steady gaze of the ruby eyes that centered on him, Yugi focused his attention on the steaming hot pizza that sat in the middle of the table. Without warning, everybody filled their plates, Jou filling two. Yugi, who had waited until everybody else to take their food, took the smallest slice he could find.

"Yugi, you should have a little more," Ryou offered softly but wasn't surprised when Yugi shook his head, his eyes drooping down into his lap.

"Come on Yug'. You're skin and bones. You need some meat on ya," Jou said after shoving a slice of pizza down his throat. Another twitch at the corners of Yugi's mouth made Ryou smile.

"So Yugi, what brings you here?" Bakura asked curiously, missing the instant glare that was sent his way by his significant other.

Atemu was startled at how quickly Yugi's entire body tensed and subconsciously reached out his hand and placed it on the other's arm, causing Yugi to jump at the sudden contact in effect spilling a cup of water on the table. Repeating several frantic apologies, Yugi reached out and grabbed a dozen napkins before placing them over the spilled liquid. With the help of Malik and Ryou, they managed to clean the table before the water spilled off to the side. The fact that everything was okay though didn't stop Yugi's broken apologies.

"Yugi, it's okay," Malik said, hating the way that Yugi was beating himself up over such a trivial matter. "No harm done," he assured but it was obvious that Malik's words didn't convince the shorter man. After mumbling an incoherent pardon that was meant to be an 'excuse me,' Yugi stood to feet and left the room as quickly as possible. A sigh escaped Jou's lips as he placed his pizza slice back down on his plate. "I'll go see if he's okay."

"What's wrong with shorty?" Bakura questioned once Jou left the room.

"He's awfully shy," Atemu commented.

"It's not easy meeting new people," Ryou said quietly. "He just needs to adjust to..." After a few seconds of silence, Ryou gestured around the table, "Well, us."

Everyone at the table nodded mutely in agreement as they continued their meals with light conversation.

* * *

_To Be Continued..._

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Reviews/comments are appreciated as always.


	2. Bloom

Chapter 2: Bloom

* * *

"_And he's so pretty and he's so sure.  
Maybe I'm more clever than a boy like him.  
The summer is all in bloom.  
The summer is ending soon."_

A soft humming vibrated throughout the kitchen, emphasizing the melodious running of the water and the tender clinking of glass as Ryou proceeded to wash, dry, and arrange the dishes from the previous night. It was well into the afternoon and the sun was peeking out from the trees, hitting Ryou's skin through the window above the sink, making the pale complexion shimmer and glow. Replacing his hands back under the running water, he began to scrub any evidence of prior use away, his eyes closed lightly as he breathed in the serene atmosphere.

Opening his eyes, allowing himself time to adjust to the bright light, Ryou glanced out of the window to see Yugi and Jou in the backyard and, from what it looked like, they were planting. Both men were on their knees, smudges of dirt across their cheeks and Ryou absent-mindedly wondered how long they had been out there for. He squinted his eyes and leaned closer towards the window, watching with slight interest as Jou ripped open a small pack of seeds before placing them in Yugi's hands who proceeded to bury them in the holes he created with a small gardening shovel.

Ryou was actually surprised with how much effort Jou was putting into developing a friendship with Yugi. It seemed like the blonde was anxious to get the smaller to open up. Ryou noticed the way he was trying to make Yugi feel more comfortable by spending time with him in calm and peaceful activities as well as engaging in light conversations that didn't pressure Yugi in any way. Jou wanted to show Yugi that, regardless of what the young man thought, someone _was_ interested in getting to know him. The thought alone made Ryou smile. Jou hadn't been this protective over someone since – Ryou paused – well, actually, he couldn't recall the blonde ever being like this.

He let his thoughts wander back to last night. Though dinner had gone relatively smooth excluding Yugi's small episode, the rest of the night only served to confuse and worry Ryou. When everybody had left and Malik had scurried off to bed with Jou following suit, Ryou was stopped from retiring to his room by the muffled cries that resonated from Yugi's room. The pained sobs lasted for an hour or so before Ryou realized that the younger had drifted off to sleep. And the only reason that Ryou knew this was because he had slept out on the couch, just in case Yugi came out and needed someone to comfort him. But he never did. He never came searching for help or support. Instead, he suffered alone, never extending a hand for someone to grab, probably fearing that no one would.

A shrill ring brought him from his thoughts, resulting in a sad sigh from the petite youth. After drying his hands of a towel, Ryou approached the door and opened it, a smile on his face as he did so. "Hello Atemu, Kaiba," Ryou greeted the two cousins.

"Hello Ryou," the taller spoke, taking a quick glance around the room.

Ryou could see the question in Kaiba's eyes before the other could so much as open his mouth. "He's outside," the brown-eyed youth said softly, nodding his head towards the backyard. He looked at Atemu before adding: "With Yugi."

Reciting a quiet 'thank you,' Kaiba walked steadily past him towards the living room, with Atemu in toe. The former slid open the glass door that led out to a rather large backyard enclosed by white picket fences that stuck up proudly from the ground, separating this house from the identical ones that surrounded it. The grass underneath both of their feet bent under the unwanted weight as they started to walk towards the right, immediately noting the two hunched figures in the corner. The closer they got, the better they were able to hear the conversation that the two were engaged in.

"I personally like tulips – you know, in a completely manly way. Roses are a little cliché, if you ask me. What's your favorite flower, Yug'?"

Yugi looked thoughtful but never stopped his movements. "I like daffodils."

Jou nodded, his eyes lingering on the discarded bags of seeds that he had thrown carelessly to his side. He let his gaze wander back to Yugi. "Why?"

"Because you can fool yourself into believing that just blowing on it will make your wishes and desires come true," Yugi replied without any hesitation whatsoever.

A disheartened expression overcame the blonde's features. "Oh."

At the sudden change in tone, Yugi shot Jou a quick glance out of the corner of his eye before adding softly: "The color is pretty too…you know, in a completely manly sort of way."

Jou's grin couldn't have been wider at Yugi's attempt to make him feel better and revive the light atmosphere. He opened his mouth to say something before sensing another presence closing in on their spot. Jou quickly turned around, his eyes locking onto Kaiba's, before noticing Atemu a little bit behind him. Turning back to Yugi who still seemed oblivious to the new arrivals, the violet eyes focused on the ground below, Jou nodded at Kaiba before flashing the shorter man beside him a smile.

"I'll be back, Yug'. Alright?"

The other didn't so much as blink to show that he had acknowledged Jou's statement but the blonde knew that he had. Pushing off the ground with his hands, Jou wiped the loose dirt off his pants at the knees, after which he walked towards the back door with Kaiba, passing Atemu on the way and shooting crimson-eyed man a warning glance. Jou's protective nature over his friends always amused Atemu but, in this situation, it was a good thing.

Once Jou and Kaiba had vanished, Atemu walked over to where Yugi was gardening, observing the man carefully.

"Hello, Yugi."

Apparently, the greeting warranted no response. The younger man had not even looked at him but Atemu noticed the way Yugi's body tensed, however that was the only indication that Atemu's presence was noted. It was almost as if Yugi didn't even hear him in the first place. But Atemu knew this to be false. It appeared that Yugi was a fan of the silent treatment.

Letting a sigh blowing past his lips, Atemu brushed a stray bang away from his forehead and tucked the blonde lock of hair behind his ear.

"You're not very talkative, are you?"

When Yugi, yet again, ignored him, Atemu plopped down next to the youth, taking the other by complete surprise.

"I know you don't know me very well, but if you want to talk about something, I can listen. Sometimes it's easier to talk to a stranger about things, then family or close friends," the elder said off-handedly.

Atemu didn't expect a response so when he got one, he was more than surprised. "I don't have either."

"Oh…no one?"

"A grandfather… but we're kind of distant now."

Atemu tilted his head. "Well you'll make plenty of friends here. I'm sure of it."

"Hm," was all Yugi replied with.

After it was apparent that Yugi had said all that he was going to say, Atemu leaned back, placing both hands behind him as he took to staring at the sky. He didn't know how long he had been gazing at the light blue abyss above but he suddenly became very aware of Yugi's steady gaze.

"Yes?" Atemu questioned softly.

Yugi gave him a saddened look. "You were whistling."

Atemu raised an eyebrow. "Was I? It's a force of habit, I'm afraid." He paused. "Does it bother you?"

Yugi didn't reply.

* * *

The sun was bidding its farewell for the day, leaving a streak of pink in its wake, tinting the corners of the remaining clouds. The light breeze spun around Yugi's small form and danced with the different colored tresses of his hair. Leaning against the door frame that led out to the backyard, Yugi watched the sunset intently while at the same time listened to the gentle strokes of a broom as Ryou proceeded to sweep the living room. Malik had taken off with Marik somewhere unknown to him and Jou had been on an eating binge ever since Atemu and Kaiba left.

Yugi mentally winced at the name. _Atemu…_

Intellectual, beautiful, and oblivious. Yugi shifted his weight onto one leg, bringing one hand up to run it through his hair with a sigh. He did not enjoy being around the man, for the sole fact that Atemu looked like _him._ Atemu reminded him of the one person that he was running away from. He reminded him of the life that he was trying so desperately to forget. And, for that, Yugi didn't want to interact with the man anymore than necessary.

Turning from the beautiful sight to look at his brown-eyed roommate, Yugi noted the intense look on Ryou's face. It seemed that if Ryou wasn't with friends, eating, or sleeping, then he was cleaning. It appeared to be almost a second nature. But Yugi knew better than that. Ryou was not simply a 'neat freak' though OCD was a probable guess. There was something else that Yugi noticed about his roommate. Ryou didn't clean for the sake of cleaning. No, there was some latent desire hidden behind those focused doe-colored eyes – one that any person who has any skill in observation would notice.

Control. Perfection.

Yugi couldn't help but wonder what drove those impulses. But he quickly let go of the thought, for his education and experience with people had only taught him so much. Reading minds was not one of the courses he took in college. Closing the back door, Yugi took a seat on the green sofa, a color that he had come to admire for its serene radiance, and watched the young man before him carefully. When Ryou had noticed the other's eyes on him and looked up, Yugi gestured towards the loveseat.

"So, since I know you don't want to talk about yourself," Ryou piped up in the silence of the room as he continued to sweep, "I'll give you some of my fun facts. I was born in Tokyo, Japan. I am twenty-one and a senior at Landcaster University. I plan to become a doctor. I'm an only child."

Yugi nodded thoughtfully at the information, glad for the small insight on his roommate, and as Ryou continued on for the next hour, Yugi couldn't help but want to tell Ryou some details of his own life as well.

But he didn't. Because he couldn't.

* * *

A comfortable silence danced around the room, spinning around the minds of the two men who were stationed comfortably in two chairs on opposite sides of a table, allowing them to concentrate on their thoughts. One wore reading glasses that sat on the bridge of his nose, enhancing his vision and making it easier to read the black, printed words on the evening newspaper. The other sat cross-legged, engrossed in a literary novel, carefully flipping a page every few minutes. However, a repeated tapping noise shattered his concentration and cobalt eyes looked up from his reading to glare at his cousin's fingers, which were drumming on the table between them.

Switching his gaze from the rather annoying source of noise, he focused his attention on his cousin's face, which, at the moment, was twisted in deep thought, making the brunet realize for the first time that the other was not reading the newspaper at all. A small sigh escaping his lips, he placed his book to the side and stared at the crimson-eyed man before him who had, as of yet, not stopped his incessant tapping.

"Is this about Yugi?" Kaiba asked, relief washing over his features when Atemu's fingers abruptly froze. Atemu's eyes immediately locked onto his, a small scowl tainting his lips.

"Is it _that_ obvious?"

"Yes." Kaiba leaned back in his chair, folding his hands on his knee. "Care to share your thoughts?"

Atemu glanced at the brunet, straightening his back against the chair before folding the newspaper in his hands and placing it gently on the table. He took off his reading glasses and twirled the small spectacles between his fingers, his face taking on a thoughtful expression. "He's detached from his emotions and doesn't initiate conversation unless necessary. He's not aware of his surroundings and sometimes acts as if he's in a temporary comatose state. He has no motivation, drive, or will." Atemu sighed, biting his bottom lip.

Kaiba's face remained unchanged. "Your diagnosis?"

Atemu fidgeted with his glasses before giving a small shrug. "He's given up. Completely."

Kaiba nodded, slightly amused that his cousin, though currently in pursuit of his master's degree in psychology, refused to beat around the bush, always getting straight to the point when it came to his diagnosis. However, given the severity of the topic, he did not show amusement. "You and Ryou are exactly the same. Always trying to help people."

Atemu shot the other a look. "Yeah, you should try it sometime."

"No, I'm good, thanks." After another second, he added. "You have a little crush on him, don't you?"

"He's very attractive," Atemu commented. "But he's obviously not in the right state of mind for anything more than a platonic friendship. If even that."

_Way to avoid the question_, Kaiba thought. But he knew his cousin inside and out by this time in their lives, and if there was one thing Atemu couldn't do, it was separate his feelings from his work – always getting more involve in his patient's lives than he should. That, Kaiba noted, would be his downfall one day. Deciding to leave the matter alone for the time being, Kaiba rubbed his temples. "What do you believe is the reason for his disinterest in life?"

Atemu, who had focused on something in the corner, leaned even further back into his chair. "If I knew, I wouldn't be this interested about it."

The brunet shot the other a sideways glance. "Are you sure you're up to this, Atemu? Maybe you should leave it alone. Let him solve his problems by himself."

Atemu's eyes met his and, Kaiba could see the brilliant color dull into a confused scarlet. "I can't," Atemu replied but Kaiba knew all to well that his cousin wasn't referring to his question.

* * *

…_To Be Continued…_

* * *

Reviews/comments are appreciated as always.


	3. Start

Chapter 3: Start

* * *

"_Maybe I'm a little bit over my head  
I come undone at the things he said  
And he's so funny in his bright red shirt  
We were all in love and we all got hurt."_

7:00 A.M.

Yugi hadn't the slightest clue why he was awake at such an ungodly hour. Especially on a day when he didn't have to. After several failed attempts of trying to regain his peaceful slumber, he had given up and reluctantly dragged himself out of bed. So here he was, seven in the morning, sitting alone in the kitchen with a steaming cup of coffee encircled in his hands.

Refusing to let the silence in the room fill his mind with unwanted memories, Yugi glazed over the events of the prior day, picking out intriguing snippets that called out to his attention. Of course, there was Atemu, who over the past month had been slowly becoming a royal nuisance to his sanity. Though as much as Yugi wanted to deny it, he just couldn't hide how open and vulnerable Atemu made him feel when he was around him. Yugi hadn't felt that way since...well, since _him_.

However, after his conversation with Ryou last night, Yugi wasn't so sure if he felt the same. In fact, though he was ashamed to say it, he was hurt. Disappointed, maybe. Even angry was a good word to describe what he felt. Why? He didn't know and had decided not to dwell on it. But, regardless, it still hurt.

The light pitter-patter of footprints alerted him back to the present, and Yugi was surprised when Ryou walked through the kitchen door adorned in a silk white pajama. Ryou looked equally surprised.

"Yugi?" Ryou said while rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. "What on earth are you doing up at this time on a Saturday?"

Yugi shrugged his shoulders. "I wish I knew." He looked at the cup in his hands. "Would you like some coffee? There's more in the pot."

Ryou stood there, a confused expression on his face, as though he wasn't sure if he was still sleeping or not. Though it had been four weeks and Yugi had opened up a bit more in that time, he was still getting used to him starting conversations and inviting people to be in his company. When he realized that he was in fact awake, a bright smile touched his lips and Yugi couldn't help but slightly smile in return. Ryou, Yugi concluded, was a fantastic human being. Generous, kind, and lovable. He was always willing to lend a hand to those who needed one. In some ways, Ryou reminded Yugi of _him_ too. The thought made Yugi's smile instantly vanish.

"I would love one," Ryou said, reaching up to grab a cup from the cabinet before pouring himself some coffee as well. This small task being completed, Ryou took a seat across from Yugi. "Thank you," Ryou spoke, knowing that those simple words had an effect on Yugi. Even if the other refused to show it.

Yugi mumbled a quick reply before turning his gaze back to his cup. Ryou had by this time realized that Yugi was not one to start a conversation so he took the burden instead.

"I have classes today," Ryou spoke softly as he brought the hot drink to his lips, endless bliss overcoming his features. There were only three words that Ryou could use to describe coffee.

Best. Invention. _Ever._

Yugi looked back up to Ryou. "But it's Saturday."

The doe-eyed youth nodded. "They're advanced classes. Remember, I'm planning to become a doctor. Crazy class schedule."

_A doctor?_ Yugi repeated in his mind before he faintly realized that Ryou had disclosed that information to him before. However, he didn't really catch it when Ryou had told him the first time, but now that simple fact sparked his relentless curiosity.

Doctors were very intriguing individuals. Depending on the person and the problem, doctors sometimes had complete control over their patient's lives. The power to choose whether someone lives or dies. The power of God.

That kind of power was so…_dangerous_.

Of course, that's not to say that doctors aren't fantastic beings because they truly are. They do save dozens of lives a day so it would only make sense that someone as charitable and kind as Ryou would want to have a career in such a field. However, Yugi couldn't help but wonder if there was an ulterior motive for Ryou's desire for such control. If there was something _more_ than what Yugi could see.

He looked up at Ryou when he felt the other's impending gaze. "I'm sorry," Yugi apologized sheepishly. "Did you say something?"

"I asked what you plan on doing? You know, as a career?"

"Oh," Yugi sighed softly. "I have a degree in mathematics. I used to want to be a professor. But now I'm not too sure."

Ryou nodded, a thoughtful expression on his face. "What changed your mind?"

Yugi's gaze immediately went to the floor, an awkward silence filling the room. Ryou mentally wrote this question down under the 'Things Never to Ask Yugi' list in the back of his head. He had to admit that the list was becoming pretty extensive with each passing day. Ryou absent-mindedly glanced at the clock.

"Oh, wherever does the time go? I have to get going. Thank you for the conversation, Yugi. It's nice to be able to talk to someone this early. God knows those two wouldn't wake up for the apocalypse."

Yugi nodded distractedly, the small gesture sending Ryou on his way. The white-haired youth was dressed and out the house in five minutes flat and when the click of the front door closing reached Yugi's ears, the tears that he had been holding back finally escaped from their threshold. He still couldn't even get through a simple conversation without being reminded of him. Sometimes he wondered why was he wasting his time trying to move on. Even a blind man that the only person he was trying to fool was himself.

* * *

It was midday and the sun was shining brighter than ever. Yugi's skin was practically glowing under the intense rays as he sat out on one of the lawn chairs in the backyard, his face buried between the pages of a thick book. Reading was truly a wonderful thing. With the right phrases and correct use of compelling words, reading could pull you into a world completely different from your own, making you oblivious to your surroundings, your life. It had the ability to manipulate your thoughts, to make you live another life and feel someone else's emotions. It was the perfect escape.

Yugi had tried to write before but his words always came out in one continuous stream of thoughts that didn't make any sense when written on paper. He had attempted to paint but his pictures always came out distorted and lifeless. Thus he had turned to indulging in other people's works and masterpieces. He learned that it was easier to forget this way.

He was both relieved and annoyed when he was dragged back into reality by a velvety smooth voice. Relieved because he had been reading so long that he was starting to lose his grip on what was real and what wasn't. And annoyed because part of him wanted to let reality slip between his fingers.

"Hello, Yugi," Atemu greeted softly as he lowered himself onto the seat beside the amethyst-eyed man. Yugi did not acknowledge his arrival and instead focused on the black words on the pages of his book. None of it made sense anymore but maybe that was because he wasn't really reading.

"Yugi."

The man was persistent, Yugi mused. Could Atemu really not see that he wanted nothing to do with him? Or maybe that was a lie. Maybe he wanted everything to do with Atemu. But, of course, he wasn't going to admit that. He hadn't the courage or strength to. A small sigh from beside him brought him from his thoughts.

"Yugi, this game is getting old."

Yugi's ministrations stopped abruptly. Slowly, he turned his head to look at Atemu, his eyes dark with emotion. "Game?" Yugi repeated. "You think this is all a game?" For some reason the words stung more than Yugi expected.

The ruby-eyed man in question quickly shook his head, immediately realizing his poor choice of words. "No, of course not," Atemu defended. "That's not what I meant, Yugi."

Yugi turned away from the other, his gaze landing on the spot where he and Jou had spent the past few weeks planting. "Are you sure about that?" he asked seemingly calm but Atemu could almost taste the venom on the other's tongue. Yugi thought back to what Ryou had told him yesterday. He thought about what had made him so upset and disappointed. When Ryou had mentioned what Atemu did for a living.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Atemu asked, raising a regal eyebrow.

Yugi glared at the other. "I mean, is the fact that you are a psychologist have anything to do with why you seem so interested in me and my problems? You want to try to fix me, huh? Just like everybody else."

Atemu was absolutely taken aback by the blow. For one, never had he expected Yugi to speak with such disdain. It, for a lack of better words, astonished him. What also surprised him was the actual context of Yugi's statement. He had wanted to keep his profession a secret, out of fear that Yugi would react…well, like this. Someone must have told him.

Quickly regaining his composure, Atemu crossed his arms. "My profession does not have any influence on why or how I talk to you, Yugi. It merely helps me read you better," Atemu replied softly.

Yugi turned back to him, his eyes narrowed. "Is that so? And what exactly do you read about me, Atemu?" Yugi regretted the question as soon as the last word left his lips. But that was the funny thing about words. You couldn't take them back.

Atemu looked down at the ground for a moment. "I think you're lonely."

"And you aren't?" Yugi snapped. At the harshness of his own words, Yugi's face immediately softened, his eyes growing wide as he realized just how unreasonable he was being. "Oh, Atem. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to snap at you. I just…," Yugi paused, completely at a loss of words to explain his verbal lash.

Atemu, however, had completely forgotten about the other's behavior for the moment, his attention shifting to another topic. "Atem?" he repeated.

Yugi looked up, his eyes glittering in the sun's vibrant rays. "I like it better," he confessed softly.

Atemu nodded, an overwhelming feeling bubbling in the pit of his stomach for reasons he couldn't explain. He turned completely in the chair to look at the other man. "Listen to me, Yugi. I don't mean to pry," Atemu started, ignoring the weary glance the other sent him. "But how can I not? I want to help you."

"You can't," Yugi stated bluntly.

"Why not?"

"Because you can't."

"You mean, because you won't let me. You won't let anybody."

Yugi immediately jumped out of his chair, no longer interested in having this conversation with Atemu. However, the moment that he turned towards the house, Atemu grabbed his wrist and spun him around completely. "Would you stop trying to run away from your problems?" Atemu yelled as he completely ignored the little voice in his head that was practically begging him to be patient with Yugi. The sickening sense of fear returned full force as he tightened his hold around Yugi's wrist.

Yugi tried to rip his arm from Atemu's grasp to no avail. "Is this the friend or the psychologist talking?" he questioned defiantly.

Atemu glared. "You won't let anybody in, Yugi. You're going to explode!"

"Why do you care!" Yugi cried.

"Because you're a good person."

"You don't know that. You don't know anything about me. And maybe I want to keep it that way!"

Yugi quickly pulled his arm away when the other's grip slackened and he made sure to hold it close to his against his chest. Yugi watched Atemu imploringly, waiting for a reply, his eyes never leaving the other's form. Atemu, however, had no intention on replying.

Instead, Atemu walked up to the other and pulled him into a tight hug – the first time he had shown affection towards the younger man. Yugi surprisingly didn't resist but also did not make any motion to return the hug. "Okay, I'm sorry," Atemu breathed out. "Can we just…start over?"

_Start over_, Yugi thought. That sounded nice. In fact, that was the whole reason he was here in the first place. So with a small nod, Yugi let himself lean into Atemu's embrace, subconsciously noticing just how perfectly he fit into the handsome man's arms.

* * *

Malik closed his bedroom door behind him before walking towards the kitchen. Ryou would be gone until the early evening and Marik was out with Bakura doing only God knows what. That left the young Egyptian to himself unless, of course, Jou or Yugi was still in.

Pushing open to kitchen door, Malik stopped when he was confronted with a sleeping Jou sitting in one of the wooden chairs Ryou himself had brought from home. The blonde's head rested against the hard table, his hair disheveled and tangled. Wrappings of various junk foods littered the table and floor while crumbs and leftover food adorned the area around Jou's head. Malik mentally winced as he imagined Ryou's reaction to this disaster. That was something that he definitely didn't want to be here for. However, for the moment, he was more concerned in Jou's all-too-familiar state.

A deep sigh blowing past his lips, Malik pulled out the seat beside Jou and made himself comfortable. He leaned forward, folding his arms neatly on the table, before coughing in his throat, effectively waking up the sleeping blonde. Slowly, Jou raised his head, his chin still resting flatly against the table, and met Malik's soft gaze with his own. Malik cursed under his breath, immediately recognizing the distant look in Jou's eyes.

"Again Jou?" Malik asked, already anticipating the small nod that the blonde offered him. "What did he do this time?"

Jou chuckled sadly. "Same thing he always does." He paused. "Damn prick." Jou reached over to grab the last chocolate bar out of a box that Malik was certain Ryou had just bought the prior day. Malik shook his head.

"How long have you been eating like this?" Malik inquired, his voice low and thoughtful.

Jou only shrugged. "Since last night."

Malik grimaced. Yeah, they were definitely going to go food shopping again. With another sigh, Malik reached up and ran his fingers through his hair. "Jou, this cycle needs to stop. It's always the same thing. You and him argue for days sometimes weeks and then you both cross the line just because you two are too stubborn and damn prideful to admit your feelings for each other—"

"I'm too stubborn and prideful," Jou corrected. "He doesn't have feelings to return. Of that, I'm sure."

Malik rolled his eyes. "No, you're just too blind to see that he does! Everyone else can see it!"

"Well, I don't," Jou spat, slamming his clenched fist on the table. The action resulted in an immediate glare from the Egyptian beside him.

"Because you're an idiot!" Malik snapped, the words rolling off his tongue before he could stop them.

Jou's tense form fell in that moment. His eyes met the ground in a flash, sadness glazing over those dull amber orbs. "That's what he said," Jou whispered.

Malik's annoyance vanished into thin air as he mentally smacked himself for his stupidity. "Jou, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to say that. It's just…these fights with Kaiba are tearing you apart. You hold it in for as long as you can and when you can't any longer, you eat your heart out." He glanced at the wrappings once more. "Quite literally, I may add."

Jou lowered his head back to the table, refusing to show Malik any more weakness than he already had. "Can't he see how much I love him? That I've loved him for years now?"

Malik offered the blonde a comforting smile. "Kaiba's funny like that. On one hand, he's extremely smart, on the other, he's a complete idiot." Malik rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Come to think of it, he's very much like Atemu."

The comment earned a small chuckle from Jou who turned his head to look at Malik. With a heavy sigh, Jou shrugged his shoulders in defeat. "Maybe we're just not meant to be together. Maybe I'm supposed to be alone."

Malik quickly shook his head and reached out for Jou's hand, encircling it with his own, before giving it a tight, comforting squeeze. "Jou, you're not alone. You have me, and Ryou," Malik hesitated. "And Yugi."

Jou looked surprised. "Yugi..." he repeated softly. He glanced up to meet Malik's gaze. "I wish I could help him. I don't know what happened to him…but I know that there's a happy person behind that whole 'I don't care' charade he puts up." Jou smiled, his crestfallen mood immediately forgotten. "He's so stubborn, that one."

Malik grinned. "Yugi is pretty hard-headed, isn't he?"

Jou nodded slowly, his smile widening minutely. "Just like Atemu."

Malik covered his hand over his mouth to suppress a laugh. "Two peas in a pod."

* * *

"What on earth happened to you?"

Kaiba's cerulean blue eyes rose from the pages of his book to glare at his cousin. "Nothing," he muttered quietly before returning his gaze to the comfort of the crisp, off-white sheets.

Atemu sighed as he lowered himself onto his chair. Reaching over to the center of the table, he grabbed a long case and popped it open to retrieve his reading glasses, which he placed promptly on the bridge of his nose. Returning his imploring gaze to the brunet opposite him, Atemu rested his elbows on the table before overlapping his hands, creating a flat surface to rest his chin. He tilted his head to the side slightly at Kaiba's irritated expression. "You got in a fight with Jou again?" Atemu inquired, one eyebrow rising knowingly.

Kaiba narrowed his eyes but kept his gaze on what he was reading. "You could say that."

"Why?" Atemu asked curiously.

"Because."

Atemu rolled his eyes. "You love him, he loves you…the problem lies…?"

Kaiba sent another fiery glare at the crimson-eyed man. "It's nothing you would understand."

Atemu sighed while raising his hands in defeat. "Fine. If you don't want to talk about it, I won't force you."

The brunet gave a curt, appreciative nod, his eyes switching from Atemu, back to his book, and then back over at his cousin's restless form. He could see Atemu itching to say something and, with an annoyed sigh, he closed the book in his hands.

"I know you want to tell me," Kaiba said, placing his book down for the moment. "Just get it over with."

Atemu crossed a leg over his knee and leaned back in his chair, twirling his reading glasses thoughtfully like he always did. Without looking at Kaiba, he sighed. "He's getting better or worse. It depends on how you look at it."

Kaiba looked momentarily confused. "Expand."

"On the up side of things, he's gradually reconnecting with his emotions again. Not by much but at least he's made some progress. However, the emotion that he exhibited today was anger."

"What's so bad about that?" the brunet questioned curiously.

Atemu stood to his feet, brushing the imaginary dust off of his shirt. A small yawn escaping his lips, as he began his slow walk towards the door. "Anger, Kaiba, is the deepest form of sadness. It's when the pain is so unbearable that you can no longer ignore it, when you need to retaliate and lash out, when you let something hurt you so much that you can no longer keep it bottled up inside. If he keeps ignoring whatever it is that caused him to be this way, he's going to explode." Atemu paused in his tracks, exhaling heavily. "He's a ticking time bomb."

Kaiba nodded in understanding and watched as his cousin reached out for the door. "So what are you going to do?"

Atemu looked down at the ground, his hand still on the door leading to his bedroom. After a moment or two, he glanced back up at Kaiba, a small smile adorning his face. "Make sure that doesn't happen. Part of the job, right?" He winked. "Goodnight, Kaiba."

"Night, Atemu."

Once his cousin disappeared behind the wooden barrier that separated the two family members, Kaiba released a frustrated sigh while leaning back into the comfort of his chair. Bringing the book to his face once more, he started to read the minuscule writing once more before tossing one last fleeting glance in the direction of Atemu's room. His cousin was the most oblivious man he knew.

* * *

_To Be Continued..._

* * *

Reviews/comments appreciated as always.


	4. Fast

Chapter 4 : Fast

* * *

"_Boy, we're going way too fast.  
It's all too sweet to last.  
It's alright  
And I put myself in his hands."_

"Good morning, Yugi," Ryou chimed when the smaller man walked through the kitchen door.

"Morning," Yugi replied politely before taking a seat at the table, opposite of Malik, who was, at the moment, heavily absorbed in the comics section of the morning newspaper. Yugi looked down at the table when a steaming cup of coffee was placed in front of him, a slight hint of surprise etched onto his face. He gazed back up at Ryou only to be met with a wide smile.

"There was some left in the pot," Ryou said. "So any plans today, Yugi?" he inquired as he began to wipe down the kitchen counter.

Yugi shook his head before taking a sip of the caffeinated drink. "No," he said when he realized that Ryou couldn't see his head shake. "Where's Katsuya?"

The brown-eyed man turned, a confused glint in his eyes before he recognized Jou's first name. "Oh, he's sleeping."

Yugi nodded at the answer before standing to his feet and placing his now empty cup in the sink. "I'll be out back if anyone needs me."

Ryou nodded absent-mindedly. "Alright, Yugi."

Brown eyes locked onto the kitchen door once Yugi walked out resulting in a small sigh from the white-haired youth. In the past month, Yugi had been getting better, but Ryou still worried about the other. He knew it was going to take time for the other to open up completely. But how much time, he wondered.

A small chuckle escaped Malik's lips from his place at the table as he flipped through the comics. "Ah, you funny cat."

Ryou rolled his eyes at Malik's remark before the sound of the doorbell caught his attention. Tossing Malik a quick glance only to notice that the tan youth didn't make any indication that he was getting the door, Ryou stopped his ministrations and got it himself, making sure to smack Malik upside the head as he did so.

"Good morning, Marik, Atemu," Ryou greeted kindly as he opened the door.

"Sup?" Marik replied before spotting Malik in a chair rubbing his head. "Are you ready to go, Malik?"

The said man looked up and nodded, throwing Ryou a glare in the process. "Yeah, I'm ready." He reached over and grabbed his coat. "See you guys later," Malik said before exiting the house, Marik in suit.

Once the door closed shut behind the two Egyptians, Atemu turned his attention to Ryou and smiled politely. "Bakura told me to tell you that he's coming over later."

"Alright." Ryou nodded. "Would you like some coffee, Atemu?"

"No, thank you though." Atemu hesitated for a second before asking his next question. "Is Yugi awake yet?"

A small smile came to Ryou's face, Yugi's last words ringing in his head. _"I'll be out back if anyone needs me."_ So, Yugi was expecting Atemu to come. Interesting. "He's out back again."

"He really likes it out there, doesn't he?"

"It looks like it," Ryou said. Just then, a devious thought suddenly infiltrated his mind forcing a grin to cross his face. "I think he wants to get out," he added off-handedly. "But he doesn't know the area so he just stays in the backyard, you know?"

Atemu nodded distractedly resulting in a sigh from Ryou. "He needs someone to take him out," Ryou commented. "You know, someone who's lived here a long time," he said with a small nod of his head. Ryou could tell that Atemu didn't fully comprehend him, the man oblivious to anything obvious.

"Someone who knows the area," Ryou encouraged with another gesture which once again went unnoticed by Atemu.

Ryou rolled his eyes. "Are you perpetually ignoring me?"

"What?" Atemu shook his head. "No, I'm sorry. I was just thinking. It's probably a good idea if I took Yugi out somewhere. Just so he can get out of the house."

"You don't say?" Ryou said, grabbing his coat from the back of the front door with a chuckle. "That's sounds like a splendid idea, Atemu. Now if you excuse me, I need to go to the grocery store…again. Cheerio."

"See you later," Atemu said, as his friend walked out of the house. He then turned his attention elsewhere and strolled out to the backyard. He smiled a bit as he approached the shorter man reading quietly in one of the lawn chairs. A loose pair of blue jeans adorned Yugi's legs while a light violet shirt hung from his shoulders. Atemu was dressed in similar attire, only his shirt was a dark red that illuminated his eyes. He didn't realize that he had stopped directly in front of Yugi until the sweet voice of the smaller youth reached his ears.

"Are you just going to stand there? Or are you going to sit?"

The inquiry pulled Atemu from his thoughts, a smile lighting up his handsome face the second he realized that Yugi was inviting him to stay and keep him company. Sitting down in the seat next to the other, Atemu leaned back and tossed the other a fleeting glance. He watched thoughtfully as Yugi's eyes moved across the pages of his book, the intensity on the cherubic face almost surprising. Atemu sat there in silence for a few minutes while he decided on exactly what he wanted to do with the rest of his day. He straightened his back before turning to face Yugi.

"Let me take you out somewhere, Yugi."

It wasn't exactly a request but rather a polite demand.

Yugi didn't try to hide his surprise. Slowly, he turned away from his book and arched a slim eyebrow in Atemu's direction. "And if I say no?"

Atemu grinned. "You won't."

"Oh?" Yugi said, accepting the challenge set out before him. He placed his book to the side before turning completely in his chair to look at Atemu. His head tilted to the side. "What makes you so sure?"

The crimson-eyed man shrugged. "I doubt you came here to stay in the backyard everyday for the rest of the year. You could have done that at your house." Atemu smiled. "You want to get out and explore the city, Yugi. Let me be your guide, as one would say."

Yugi looked down but Atemu could clearly see the conflicting emotions in the other's face. Obviously, half of Yugi was telling him to stay here and decline Atemu's offer. However, he could see that there was another part telling him he should go.

After what seemed like an eternity, Yugi looked back up at him.

"I'll get my jacket."

* * *

It was well into the evening when the two tri-colored haired men arrived at the local ice-cream joint in the center of the bustling city. Atemu had spent the majority of the day driving Yugi around, pointing out famous buildings and legendary monuments all the while. The smaller of the two only displayed only some interest of the surroundings, his focus mainly resting on the dozens of people that they passed on the way. The only time that Yugi really spoke in response to a comment Atemu made was when the elder asked if him if he wanted to let the top down of his midnight black convertible. The answer being a quick 'no.'

Taking their seats at a table beside a window, Atemu quickly scanned the menu for something to eat, the fact that he hadn't eaten a single thing the entire day angering his stomach to no end. He tossed Yugi a quick glance only to realize that the other had yet to pick up his menu, the amethyst eyes gazing out the window instead.

Atemu frowned. "Aren't you going to eat something?"

Yugi turned to look at the man across from him before shaking his head. "I'm not really that hungry." One look at Atemu told him that there was no way in hell that he would allow him to not eat. So, sighing in defeat, Yugi flipped open the menu in front of him. "Alright, I'll get something."

A satisfied smirk found its way onto Atemu's face but before anything else could be said, a young waitress approached them, a bright smile on her face. "What can I get for you two?"

Atemu scrutinized the menu one more time before turning to her. "I'll get a chocolate chip."

She nodded while scribbling his order down on the white pad in her hand. She turned to Yugi. "And you, sweetie?"

Yugi turned pink at the nickname and Atemu couldn't help but notice how cute the other looked when he blushed, the pink hue on the usual pale cheeks making him even more attractive than before. "Um…I don't…I guess…" Yugi paused to glance up at Atemu, tossing the elder a desperate look in the process.

Atemu sighed. "He'll have a vanilla."

Yugi offered Atemu a grateful nod and soon they were left to themselves as the waitress disappeared behind the counter. Once she was gone, Atemu's gaze fell back on Yugi. "Are you always this indecisive, little one?"

"Sort of," Yugi confessed hesitantly. He turned his eyes to stare at his lap before shooting Atemu a suspicious glance. "Why are you doing this?"

Atemu looked surprised by the question. "What do you mean?"

"I don't know," Yugi sighed, gesturing to nothing in particular. "This."

"Because I want to."

Yugi recognized the statement from what Jou had said to him the first day he moved here, and the sincere sentiment made Yugi smile genuinely – something Atemu had never seen before. Not a moment to late did the waitress reappear, snapping both of the men out of their honest moment together.

At the arrival of the young girl, Yugi quickly looked away, another blush tainting his cheeks at the look Atemu had given him when he smiled at the other.

"Thank you," Atemu said once the bowls of ice cream were placed in front of them, also a bit flustered at the way he felt himself react at such a simple gesture. The waitress nodded before walking off to help another customer, and Atemu took to eating his ice cream, stopping only when he realized that Yugi had as of yet to touch his. "You're ice cream is melting," Atemu said, stating the obvious.

Yugi glanced at Atemu before turning his gaze to his melting ice cream. Atemu could tell that Yugi had no intention on eating. It appeared that the younger needed some persuasion.

"If you don't eat, I'll feed you."

Yugi gasped softly at the threat. "You wouldn't."

"Try me," Atemu said, tapping his cold spoon against the side of his bowl.

Yugi looked ready to respond. But he didn't. Because whatever he was going to say was silenced when Atemu stuck a spoonful of ice cream into his mouth.

The glare shot at Atemu was enough to make him reconsider what he had just done, but when Yugi actually began eating his own after a small string of mutters, Atemu knew it a good chance to have taken.

"Hmm, let's go," Atemu finally said after they were done. "We still have one more place to go to."

"Where?" Yugi said while reaching for his wallet in his jacket pocket.

"First off," Atemu said, patting Yugi's hand lightly, "not on your life." He took out his own wallet and tossed a twenty on the table. "Second," he continued, pulling Yugi from his seat into a standing position, "it's a surprise."

"Thanks," Yugi murmured, regarding Atemu paying for the bill, however little it was.

"You're quite welcome." Atemu winked and held out his hand. "Shall we?"

With a few seconds of uncertainty and a small nod, Yugi took Atemu's offered hand and followed him out of the small place and back to the car. The sun was already starting to set in the sky and the moon had just made its first appearance. Yugi looked down at the ground as the two made their way to the car, instantly noticing Atemu's shadow. A long sigh escaped his lips.

He was always following someone else's shadow. He had never had the strength to lead. All he wanted to do was walk on his own, to know where he was going in life without having to follow someone. He wanted to make his own footprints instead of stepping in somebody else's.

But he knew that all of that was just wishful thinking.

The ride to wherever Atemu was bringing him was about twenty minutes long. During that time, Yugi had watched the moving images of the world flash by the window. They drove there the same way they had driven everywhere today. In silence.

That was until Atemu voice tickled his ears.

"We're here," Atemu announced quietly. He moved his hand from the steering wheel to put the car in park before exiting the vehicle with a soft slam of his door. This caught Yugi's attention and the smaller looked out of the front window of the car, a gasp escaping his lips. Off to the left of the spacious opening before him, there was a small park. To the right was a walkway that seemed to circle around the entire area. And directly in front of him was a ledge that overlooked the ocean.

Walking around the car, Atemu opened the passenger door and watched as Yugi stepped out, the moonlight illuminating the shorter man's striking beauty – which Atemu couldn't help but gaze at for a moment. Snapping himself for such thoughts, he motioned Yugi over to the ledge that was fenced securely by a metal railing, smiling at the youth's awe-stricken face. He gazed out to look at the water, watching how the light from the moon seemed to glimmer off of its surface. Small waves crashed against the ground below, the sound a soft, repetitive melody to their ears.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" Atemu said, switching his gaze from the water to Yugi. The smaller nodded mutely in response.

Taking the silent response as a bad sign, Atemu sighed. It was probably a good time to finally ask Yugi the question that had plagued his mind ever since he met him. "_Yugi,"_ Atemu whispered, the name sweet on his tongue. "I really hate to pry, but I can't help it," he began. "I want to help you. So does Ryou and Jou and Malik. Can you just tell me what happened to you to make you how you are? Because I see someone behind this wall that you put up – someone who's not so..."

"_Please."_

The broken plea resonating from Yugi's lips stunned Atemu into utter silence. "Please, just stop," Yugi continued, his voice soft and pleading. It was so sad, but yet so beautiful.

Yugi looked up into Atemu's scarlet eyes. "Please just let me enjoy this one night."

Atemu was completely blindsided by the raw emotion displaying itself right in front of him, almost as much as he was by the emotions spinning in the pit of his stomach when he noticed the slightest trace of affection shining in the amethyst jewels.

"Whatever you want," Atemu inhaled cautiously, his mind completely relinquished of all rational thought for the moment, which was proven even more so when he pulled Yugi into a strong embrace. Yugi did not push the offered comfort away and did not move when Atemu placed his chin on top of his head and peered out at the water that shimmered relentlessly against the waning moon's light. A content sigh escaped the taller's lips and, leisurely, he closed his eyes and allowed himself to bask in Yugi's tantalizing warmth, ignoring for now the repercussions he figured would meet him tomorrow.

* * *

He didn't want to think about. Not tonight. Just this once, he wanted someone to just _be _with him. Not talk to him about his haunting, dismal past. Tonight, he wanted to _be wanted_. If that meant lowering some of his barriers then so be it. He could always put them back up again tomorrow.

That thought fixated in his mind, he let himself give in to his hidden desires.

"Whatever you want." Yugi heard Atemu whisper before he found himself in the man's strong arms, a place that, though he denied it, he had found comfort in and it broke even more of his walls down than he was willing to admit. But maybe this hug was more than a small gesture. Maybe it was the meaning behind the action that had caused such a drastic effect. It was a silent surrender from both of them. For Atemu to try and forget about everything that he had ever been taught so that when he looked at Yugi, he saw a friend in need, not a patient. And for Yugi to let down a few walls just to show Atemu that he was willing to try to work on whatever dysfunctional friendship this was turning out to be.

Both tasks were going to be extremely difficult. But whether they accomplished it was not of importance, not at the moment anyways. What mattered was that they were both willing to _try_. And that alone meant the world to each of them.

The warmth and protection that Atemu offered with that simple embrace was enough to send Yugi to tears. But he wouldn't cry. Not tonight. Because tonight, all that mattered, was this moment.

* * *

"What's this, now?" Bakura inquired, noticing the thoughtful look on Ryou's face. The smaller man tuned his head in Bakura's lap to throw the other a confused glance.

"What do you mean, Kura?" Ryou murmured.

Bakura rolled his eyes at the youth in his lap. "I mean, what's wrong?"

"Nothing. I'm fine—" Ryou stopped when Bakura threw him a demanding glare. He sighed in defeat. "I'm just wondering how Yugi's doing. He's been out all day and it's starting to get late—"

Bakura's insane laughter cut him off. "Do you hear yourself? You're acting like his mother."

Ryou glared at his boyfriend before turning his attention back to the TV screen. Bakura immediately stopped his laughing and released an annoyed sigh. "Ry, I'm sure he's fine. He's with Atemu after all."

Ryou scoffed. "Oh yes, throw an emotionally distraught man with an emotionally detached one. What could possibly go wrong?"

"Which one's which?"

"Stop it."

Bakura arched an eyebrow. "Weren't you the one who urged Atemu to take him out in the first place?"

"Not really," Ryou exhaled softly. "Either way, I didn't think they'd be gone so long."

Bakura shook his head. "You worry too much."

Ryou shrugged his shoulders. "I just…" he sighed. "I don't know."

This seemed to catch Bakura's attention. "Hmm, you're worried Atemu will hurt him?"

Ryou sat up on the jade green sofa in an instant, his face in absolute shock. "No, of course not," Ryou yelled.

"So you're worried that Yugi will hurt Atemu?"

"No, that's not what I'm saying at all." He paused to think. "I just…."

Bakura rolled his eyes again before wrapping his arms around Ryou's waist and pulling him back in his lap. "Well, stop worrying. They'll be fine."

Ryou furrowed his eyebrows. "How—?"

"I just know," Bakura snapped. "Now stop it."

Ryou crossed his arms, his infamous pout tainting his lips. "Fine. You don't have to be so mean about it."

Bakura groaned in frustration before pulling Ryou even closer to him. "Alright. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to snap. I just think that they both need some sense slapped into them."

"Bakura!" Ryou gasped. "Honestly, not everything can be solved through violence."

A playful glint flashed in Bakura's eyes. "Oh really now," he said before throwing Ryou back onto the couch, effectively pinning the youth underneath him.

"Bakura!" Ryou giggled. "Unhand me, you fiend."

Ignoring his boyfriend's pleas, Bakura placed a chaste kiss against Ryou's supple lips. "Make me," he challenged huskily.

"Bakura, really now, someone's bound to come home any minute," Ryou admonished through giggles.

Bakura shrugged. "Doesn't matter to me."

He leaned back to kiss Ryou only to stop midway, a thoughtful expression glazing over his features as if he just remembered something. He sat up on the couch and watched as Ryou propped up on his elbows and gazed at him questionably.

"What's wrong?" Ryou asked.

"You know I'm going to be gone a days next month with Marik, right? Because of that stupid business trip," Bakura reminded. He cast Ryou a worried glance. "Are you going to be alright without me? I know that your mo—"

"I'll be fine," Ryou promised though whether that was a lie or not, he did not know.

"You sure?"

"Positive." Now that was definitely a lie.

"Alright," Bakura said before a devious smile appeared on his face. "Now where were we?"

Ryou yelped when Bakura pounced on him sending them both to the ground in an entangled mess. Ryou's giggles vibrated off of the walls of the living room before being effectively silenced by Bakura's lips.

* * *

The sleek, black car came to a stop outside of the white structure where Atemu lived before the two occupants exited the vehicle. Yugi stood patiently on the sidewalk as Atemu walked around the hood of his car, locking the doors with the help of the small black device attached to his keychain. They proceeded to next door in complete silence, both pitifully engrossed in their thoughts. After the rare moment that Atemu and Yugi had shared, they had taken a leisure stroll around the park, every now and then engaging in light conversation, spending the majority of the time just silently enjoying the other's presence.

Atemu looked up once he realized that they had reached the front door, regretting for the first time that Yugi lived only next door. It appeared that the night had come to an end. And now they had to go their separate ways for the evening. Atemu glanced from the door down to Yugi, a small smile playing on his lips. "Thank you, Yugi, for the company. I hope you will allow me to take you out again soon." He tilted his head slightly. "See you tomorrow?"

Yugi's eyes locked onto Atemu's before he offered the elder a small nod. And with that, Atemu turned and walked down the few stairs, ignoring the overwhelming sense that he had forgotten something. He gazed back at the other over his shoulder to see Yugi fumbling with his keys and, almost out of instinct, he stopped in his tracks. "Yugi, wait."

At the sound of his name, Yugi turned back around and watched curiously as Atemu mounted back up the stairs. Stopping only inches away from the amethyst-eyed man, Atemu brushed the stray golden strands away from Yugi's face and tucked them behind the other's ear. Slowly, he leaned down and placed the softest kiss he could imagine on Yugi's forehead.

Yugi bit back a gasp at the gesture and Atemu let his lips linger on the other's soft skin for a few moments before pulling away so that Yugi could see the sincere smile on Atemu's handsome face.

"Goodnight, Yugi," Atemu whispered before he made his way back down the stairs. Yugi stared after the taller man, an unreadable expression glazing over his features.

"Goodnight, Atem."

The shortened version of his name rolling off of Yugi's tongue made Atemu shiver, the sound of the front door closing shut reaching his ears shortly after. Atemu sighed as he made his way back to his place, locking the door behind him once he got in. He slowly walked into the study room, immediately noticing Kaiba in his chair reading the newspaper. Kaiba had obviously noted his arrival as well.

"So, where did you two go?" the brunet inquired.

Atemu shrugged off his jacket and placed it on the hook on the back of the door. "No where special. I just took the little one out to eat." Atemu sat in his chair, purposely leaving out the evening stroll, not exactly wanting Kaiba to surmise unfounded assumptions. However, he failed to notice his Freudian slip.

"You gave him a nickname?" Kaiba asked in disbelief, noticing the way Atemu visibly flinched at the question. A satisfying smirk slowly tainted the brunet's lips. "You're attached," he stated quite bluntly.

Atemu nearly fell out of his chair at the accusation. "I am not."

Kaiba almost laughed at the dark glare his cousin sent him. "It's just like pets, Atemu. Once you name it, you start getting attached to it."

Atemu rolled his eyes. "Please, Kaiba. Human psychology is ten times more complex. Our emotions have many different dimensions, each that need to be viewed and evaluated with different perspectives. It's more complicated than simply naming a pet."

Kaiba momentarily stopped his reading to gaze at the man opposite him. "So, this nickname for Yugi is merely a friendly connotation?" The brunet was obviously unconvinced.

Atemu decided to ignore his cousin's insinuation. "Of course, Kaiba. Don't be so brash."

"Hmm," Kaiba hummed while turning his attention back to the paper, indifferent to Atemu's polite insult. "So what may I ask is your next step to fixing Yugi's problems?"

Atemu released a frustrated sigh. "I don't know. I guess I would have to know what the actual problem is."

Kaiba eyes snapped back up to meet Atemu's. "Wasn't that the point of tonight? To find out what was wrong?"

"It was," Atemu admitted cautiously while avoiding the brunet's intense gaze. "But then…he asked…" Atemu paused, his eyes turning to glare at the brunet. "I just didn't feel like badgering him with questions tonight," he huffed out, the irritation in his tone quite noticeable.

Kaiba stared at Atemu for a long time, his mind turning over possible solutions in his head. One suddenly stood out prominently among the rest. "It was a date."

Atemu's glare came back with a vengeance. "No, it wasn't."

"Hmm," Kaiba murmured, the simple action resulting in a fierce growl from Atemu.

"I don't do dates, Kaiba," Atemu snapped. "You should know that."

Kaiba merely shrugged. "Whatever makes you sleep at night, dear cousin."

Another growl resonated from Atemu's throat before the man stood to his feet. "I'm going to bed," he announced before stalking off to his bedroom, the door slamming harshly behind him.

Kaiba peered in the direction of Atemu's departure over the newspaper before releasing a concerned sigh.

Atemu wasn't exactly what you would call a people person in the past few years. Yes, he was friendly and whatnot. But he would never go out of his way to get to know people, excluding his patients, of course. Both of Atemu's parents had taught him as a child that love was a frivolous figment of the imagination. His parents had only married because both were extremely wealthy and combining their profits would benefit them both.

Atemu, however, was never interested in his parents discouraging words and when he was in a relationship, he put everything he had into it. But someone could only have their heart broken so many times. And he had lost count after the tenth time Atemu had wound up on his doorstep in tears. So, Kaiba figured that time away from their homes were in order. Thus how they wound up in Serene Oasis.

They were only meant to be there for a few weeks. Just enough time for Atemu to heal. But the weeks turned into months, and the months into years. They had both enrolled in the college nearby and had obtained jobs rather quickly. Bakura and Marik had moved in shortly after them, and the four had become almost inseparable since. However, Atemu had used these years to bury his heart, lacing his emotions with the one thing that took his mind of off his problems.

That being other people's problems.

Since they had moved here, Atemu had never showed much interest in romantics. Yugi, however, had, by some divine miracle, caught his attention. Observing Atemu's behavior, he realized that his cousin felt something more for the smaller man than a simple interest in his problems—that he had actually liked Yugi. He didn't think that Atemu could feel that kind of emotion towards another human being another time around.

But he was wrong.

Kaiba rubbed his temples slowly. He knew what he had told himself a few weeks ago was true - that if there was one thing he knew, it was that Atemu could never separate his feelings from his work.

* * *

_To Be Continued..._

* * *

Reviews/comments appreciated as always.


	5. Ignite

Chapter 5: Ignite

* * *

"_Love, or something ignites in my veins  
And I pray it never fades in white houses."_

It was a rather large office complete with a set of newly-installed windows that almost covered the entirety of the right wall. The walls in question were painted over smoothly with a gentle green color that gave the room a sense of comfort and friendliness. It was furnished with a dark brown desk placed on the opposite side of the room in comparison to the door, leaving a spacious amount of room between the two wooden structures. An off-white carpet layered the once naked floor, welcoming guests to take off their shoes and succumb to the soft threads of fabric.

Atemu sat behind his desk quietly with one leg crossed over the other, his eyes focused on the yellow pad resting in his lap. The sleek, black-rimmed spectacles that sat on the bridge of his nose amplified the cursive written words scribbled on the lined paper, his face molded into one of complete concentration as he re-read the notes before him carefully. With one hand resting on his chin, his thin fingers covering his mouth, Atemu allowed his other hand to glide across the pad, the pen in his grasp manifesting new words onto the sheet of paper in his lap.

The pen, and his thoughts for that matter, came to a screeching halt when a heavy knock resonated from the other side of the door located across the room. The scarlet eyes snapped upwards to settle on the door before Atemu muttered a warm invitation to enter his office. He mentally frowned when he recognized the man who had intruded upon his thoughts, the striking green eyes of the other mirroring his displeasure.

Nevertheless, Atemu rose from his chair, placing his pen and notepad on his desk, and outstretched his hand respectfully. "Lieutenant," Atemu greeted. "Pleasure to see you again."

The man standing opposite Atemu accepted the hand with equal amount of respect before removing his hat from his head, rolls of black threads tumbling down his shoulders and back. "Dr. Hasan," he spoke cautiously. "I expect that you have some news for me by now concerning Major Hiroto."

Atemu nodded slowly. "Would you like to sit?" he asked, gesturing to the two chairs that were placed on the other side of his desk.

"I much prefer to stand, thank you."

"Alright," Atemu replied, his eyes leaving the other's in search of something a lot more comforting. "What is it exactly that you wish to know?"

The Lieutenant frowned slightly, his gaze wavering elsewhere as well. In three dignified strides, he found himself in front of the windows, noticing with only slight interest how the window went all the way from the ceiling to the floor and how it was completely stretched out across the entire side of the room. He eyed the rooftops of the nearby houses and large office buildings, and for the first time in all his visits actually realized just how tall this building was.

"Can she come back?" That was all the Lieutenant wanted to know.

"To the army?" Atemu sighed, his head shaking slowly. "No."

Atemu, who was still standing behind his desk, his posture straight and his eyes settled on the Lieutenant's back, observed the way the other's body tensed, knowing very well that that was not the answer the Lieutenant wanted to hear. However, it was the only answer that Atemu could give.

After what seemed like hours of uncomfortable silence, the Lieutenant exhaled a deep, sorrowful sigh. "Why?" he asked quietly.

Sensing the other's pain, Atemu walked over to the window, his eyes blinking momentarily as they adjusted to the bright rays of the afternoon sun. He surveyed the busy bustle on the streets below, his mind working on the words that he needed to say. But deep down, Atemu knew that no matter how he phrased his next sentences, nothing he said would be able to fix the situation at hand.

"Otogi," Atemu began, deciding to toss aside formalities for the moment. After all, the two had known each other for quite a long time now. "Major Hiroto was exposed to a traumatic event when she witnessed the bombing of his military camp. She has had recurring nightmares, and suffers from hypervigilance and outbursts of anger. She has also developed a fear of loud noises and crowded areas due to the event. Not only that but she also has engaged in persistent avoidance of stimuli associated with the trauma in such an effort to avoid thoughts, feelings, and activities that arouse recollections of the trauma." Atemu paused, his eyes resting on the stiff man beside him. "Otogi," he repeated. "I am diagnosing her with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. She can't go back."

Otogi suppressed a shudder, shifting his gaze from the rooftops to the sun, his eyes squinting in recoil. A stray black bang fell off to the side of his forehead, preventing Atemu from observing the jade green pools. But Atemu didn't have to see Otogi's eyes to know what he was feeling. He already knew.

"You know, Atemu," Otogi said, his voice barely above a whisper. "Lin and I decided to join the army a few years ago. She's dedicated to what she does. She lives for it." At this, Otogi turned to look at Atemu, his face twisted as he attempted to hold back his emotions. "This is her life, Atemu. The life we chose together. She needs to come back."

"No, Otogi." Atemu ran his fingers through his hair. "She needs help."

Otogi grimaced. "They always say that work is the best medicine."

Atemu turned his gaze to the floor. "I'm sorry, Otogi," he offered sincerely.

"Sorry?" Otogi repeated, his tone dripping with disdain. He looked away from the other quickly, repositioning his hat on his head with only slight difficulty. "Yeah, me too."

Atemu watched as Otogi turned on his heel and stalked to the door, surprised but grateful that flames didn't ignite in his wake. Atemu would have to replace the carpet if that happened.

"Good day, Dr. Hasan," Otogi said, his tone belying his words.

Atemu nodded. "You too, Lieutenant—" The door had already closed.

A few minutes after Otogi's departure, Atemu turned his gaze from the sky and walked back over to his desk. He collapsed into his chair the moment he got there, his arm falling over his face to cover his eyes. He growled in annoyance when he heard the hinges of his door creak open and shot up in his chair to give whoever it was who entered his office without knocking— especially since he could have been with a patient—a piece of his mind. However, he didn't have a chance when a bag of what smelled like fast food was shoved right in front of his face.

"Having fun?"

Atemu rolled his eyes at his cousin's voice as he lifted his gaze to meet the other's. "I wouldn't exactly call it fun," he replied, taking the bag from Kaiba's hand and placing it to the side. He looked back up at the brunet with a skeptical glint in his eyes. "Shouldn't you be at work?"

"It's called a break," Kaiba said as he lowered himself down to sit in one of the chairs opposite Atemu's desk. "Have you ever heard of it?"

Atemu took of his glasses and placed his hand over his eyes, rubbing his temples in a soothing manner. "I don't have time for breaks, Kaiba."

Kaiba shook his head slightly, passing Atemu a cup of coffee for which the red-eyed man was grateful for. "I take breaks and people call _me_ the workaholic."

"That's because you continue to work when you get home," Atemu pointed out, relinquishing in the steam that radiated from the cup wrapped safely in his hands. "I, however, stop working the moment I walk out that door."

Kaiba rolled his eyes at the absurd comment. "So you think." He glanced at the still unopened bag of food and frowned. "You know, I'm sure Yugi would be upset to learn that you don't even put aside time to eat while you're at work."

The temperature in the room dropped to the negatives in two seconds flat and the glare that Atemu sent Kaiba was so cold that the brunet wouldn't be surprised it icicles started to form on the edge of his seat. Not that Kaiba even blinked though. He knew Atemu too long to be intimidated by him.

He smirked smugly when Atemu reached over and grabbed the bag before opening it reluctantly. It had been almost six months since Yugi had come into our lives, and for lack of other words, part of their group. And in that time, Yugi and Atemu had become closer than ever. And though everyone saw something more than friendship between the two, the tri-colored haired men remained as ignorant as ever. "Not many people I can threaten against you," Kaiba pointed out. "You must really care about this kid."

Atemu glanced from the food back to his cousin. "He's my friend, of course I care."

The brunet scoffed at that. "Somehow I doubt Yugi is a mere 'friend' to you."

"Well, he is." Kaiba arched a perceptive eyebrow. "Do you not see how you treat him in regards to your other patients? You are so much more affectionate towards him."

"Kaiba, how many times must I say this?" Atemu sighed as he ate some of his fries. "I just want him to trust me; to open up to me so that I can help him."

"Hmm," Kaiba murmured as he took another sip of his own drink. An image of a certain blond flashed through his mind and, as a result, a small frown pulled at his lips. "Its fun, isn't it?"

Atemu looked up from his food and tilted his head to the side slightly. "What is?"

Kaiba leaned back in his chair and smiled at his cousin. "Denial."

* * *

Ryou raised his arm and wiped his forehead with his shirt sleeve making sure not to get any soap on his face from his hands. It had taken almost three hours but Ryou had finally managed to make the kitchen completely spotless with exception to the dishes which he was working on now. Not a single dust bunny survived Ryou's assault and the petite man couldn't be happier with his victory. However, part of him wished that Jou had not left for work because eventually, they'd be nothing left to clean. Maybe he could go over to Bakura's shared house and clean though. He knew with the four boy's constant bickering and fights that there was sure to be a mess somewhere. After all, Bakura had thrown a plate at Atemu's head a few days ago. Maybe no one had cleaned up the broken furniture and dishware that had resulted from the brawl that had broken out immediately after.

At that second, Yugi walked through the door conjoining the living room and the kitchen, a small sparkle in his eyes that Ryou had come to enjoy seeing in the past few weeks. Though Yugi was still a bit withdrawn, he had still engaged in a lot more conversations and activities with the others. He was even starting to adjust to Malik and the Egyptian's constant teasing that he liked Atemu, which, of course, Yugi either denied or just didn't respond to.

He had still not crossed the line where he would disclose anything about his past or family nor did he completely loose some of the dullness that had painted itself over his eyes. However, he was definitely improving.

After greeting the white-haired youth at the sink, Yugi pulled out one of the chairs next to the table and sat down noiselessly. He quickly scanned the pristine kitchen, surprise evident in his face as he did so. "Wow Ryou. You really went all out today, didn't you?"

Ryou grinned sheepishly. "Yeah, well, I thought that, with Malik and Jou being out for the day that I'd catch up with some cleaning."

Yugi nodded slowly. "Did you always clean everything back at your house?"

Ryou released a soft chuckle. "No, my mother used to do all the cleaning."

Yugi offered Ryou a small smile and though it wasn't much, Ryou was pleased to be one of the few graced with such a rare opportunity. After all, the only other person Yugi smiled genuinely for was Atemu. "I bet your mother sure is proud of you," Yugi said from his spot at the table. "That you're living on your own and that your planning to be a doctor and—"

"Yugi…" Ryou interrupted quietly, his hands pausing in their movements. "My mother's dead."

"Oh, Ryou," Yugi replied, a saddened expression falling over his face. "I'm so sorry. I didn't know."

Ryou turned his neck and flashed Yugi a comforting smile. "I know, Yugi."

The silence that followed was almost suffocating. It was as if both of them were afraid to breathe; afraid to even think about what to say next. After all, it was obvious that Ryou had still not gotten over his mother's death and it scared him seeing Ryou so vulnerable because as far as he was concerned, Ryou was incapable of exhibiting weakness. Even for a second.

"She died three years from today. She…had cancer," Ryou murmured unexpectedly, his eyes at a downcast. "I always knew she was going to die but I could never do anything about it. The only thing I could do was wait." He paused, reaching over to turn up the intensity of the facet, maybe in hopes that Yugi wouldn't be able to hear the way his voice was cracking with emotion. "I couldn't help her," Ryou whispered, his voice almost drowned out by the running water.

Yugi almost fell off his chair as realization came crashing into him. That's why Ryou cleaned so much. It wasn't only his outlet but his own way of remembering the mother that he loved so much. It also explained why Ryou had chosen to become a doctor. He wanted to save people.

_Because he couldn't save her. _

Yugi observed the way Ryou's knuckles were almost snow white with the intensity that he was gripping the plate in his hands. He was probably hoping that it would hurt. Because when people didn't want to confront their emotional pain, they reverted to physical pain as a way to shift their focus. And Yugi knew this. He had done it plenty of times, which is why he almost ripped his hair out when he brushed it.

Standing from his chair, Yugi crossed the room and stood directly behind Ryou's tensed form. The sadness that was being inhibited managed to escape through the pores of Ryou's skin and wrapped around Yugi with an unbearable squeeze. He couldn't see Ryou's face but he knew, probably more than anyone, how badly Ryou wanted to cry; to just let down his barriers.

But Ryou couldn't cry. Because Ryou had to be the strong one. But Yugi knew better. No one could be the strong one because _everyone_ had a story to tell. Everyone had a past. It was whether you faced your past that determined true strength and courage. And that's exactly how Yugi knew that he could never be the strong one.

Yugi let his eyes fall close slowly, memories of things he had been trying so hard to forget over the past weeks invading his system like a drug. When he re-opened his eyes, he reached out for the other's arm and forced Ryou to turn around. Tears restrained for so many years pooled at the corners of the doe brown eyes that Yugi had only found warmth and kindness in since he arrived and he couldn't help the pain that shot through his body at seeing Ryou in such an emotional state.

"Cry," Yugi croaked, tears of his own stinging his eyes.

Ryou let loose a strangled sob and shook his head as he tried to pull away from the other. Yugi, however, kept him in his place, his gaze holding tight onto Ryou's. He wouldn't let Ryou go. Yugi would never let him go because, when it came down to it…

Ryou was his friend.

"It's okay. Cry," Yugi repeated as a single tear fell down Ryou's cheek. He soon felt a trail of tears caressing his own cheeks. "I'll cry with you."

* * *

Yugi gazed at the item in Atemu's hand suspiciously, annoyance clearly radiating from his face. "You're not serious, are you?"

Atemu smiled brightly. "Oh, come now, little one, don't be difficult." He circled around Yugi and pulled him close. Before Yugi could so much as protest, Atemu had covered his eyes with the blindfold that he had in his hand. "Now come."

Yugi shook his head, crossing his arms as he did so. "You know I don't like surprises, Atem."

Atemu only rolled his eyes in response. "Hush you," he said before bending down and lifting up the blindfold from Yugi's eyes. He smiled when his eyes locked with the amethyst jewels that he had grown to adore so much.

"Do you trust me?" Atemu asked suddenly, Yugi's eyes widening minutely at the unexpected question.

A small sigh escaped Atemu's lips when it became obvious that Yugi had no intention on answering his question. So instead, he just stood up and put the blindfold back down to cover Yugi's eyes. "Just follow me," he muttered before taking Yugi's hand in his and leading him out of the living room of the younger's shared house.

Yugi followed the other blindly, his eyes staring out into nothing but oblivious darkness. He never really liked the dark and would have downright refused to let anyone else blindfold him for even a second. But it was Atemu. And though he didn't say it, he trusted the elder.

He had tried not to though. He had tried to avoid Atemu countless of times. But it was obvious that he was not capable of staying away from the older man. In fact, it was quite impossible. But he couldn't let Atemu know that. He couldn't let Atemu know that he cared, that he wanted to stay in Atemu's company every hour of the day, that he missed Atemu when the scarlet-eyed man was at work. He couldn't let anyone know. Because then he would be officially accepting the fact that Atemu meant more to him than he should and, as far as Yugi knew, he was still basking in the beautiful bliss that was denial.

That way when Atemu left, it wouldn't be so painful.

Unconsciously, Yugi interlaced his fingers with elder, and Yugi felt Atemu pause in his steps and shift, as if the small action he had just done had caused Atemu to become off-balance.

Atemu couldn't have been more grateful at that moment that Yugi was blindfolded, for he would have been far too embarrassed if Yugi had seen his face right then.

They hadn't been walking for long and, by the cool breeze that brushed by Yugi's face, he knew that Atemu had led him out to the backyard. He breathed in a sigh of relief when the blindfold was removed from his eyes but his breath immediately hitched in his throat making it impossible for him to even exhale.

"So," Atemu said, examining Yugi's stunned expression with curiosity. "What do you think?"

Yugi stared at his garden that he and Jou had spent every day working on since he had arrived. There, protruding out of the ground, were five enchanting red roses. And according to Jou, they had only planted a limited amount of flowers, roses not included.

"How…" Yugi whispered as he walked up to the strategically placed flowers. He squinted his eyes in an attempt to observe them more closely.

"Well, I know you like flowers so I bought them." The elder's eye twitched. "And then Jou stole them and buried them."

After about a minute longer of examining the five roses, a small smile slowly made itself onto Yugi's face. He turned to look at Atemu. "Is that why you and Jou were arguing this morning?"

Atemu nodded. "He makes it impossible to do anything _normal _for you. I can't just –"

He stopped. And then almost melted to the ground. Right there, in front of him, Yugi was laughing, and the sound was enough to make his heart beat just a little bit faster.

It sounded like the morning rain when the gentle drops trickled to the ground, soft and melodic. It was like listening to the ocean's waves at high-tide or like hearing the sweetest tune that a flute could ever offer.

Atemu closed his eyes to fully embrace the memorizing laughter that danced around him like music, terrified that this might be one of the only times he would ever hear Yugi's beautiful laugh. Something that precious could only last so long, after all.

Atemu let his eyes flutter back open when the laughter died down, only to see Yugi standing there with a hand over his mouth as if he was trying to suppress his giggles, some of which managed to squeeze between the cracks in his fingers.

"I'm sorry, Atem." Yugi glanced at the lovely flowers. "Jou just really likes to foil other people's plans, huh? These will probably be wilting by tomorrow unless I put them in a cup of water. But thank you for them."

"You're welcome." Atemu said as he bent down to pluck one of the flowers out of the ground. He stood up straight and smirked. "Might as well put them to some use."

Placing the rose between his thumb and index finger, Atemu reached down and settled the flower behind Yugi's ear. Despite wanting to move away at the close contact out of habit, Yugi stayed put and let Atemu do what pleased.

"There," Atemu said, taking a step back to examine the delicate flower that only emphasized the beauty of the little one in front of him. "Beautiful," he said more to himself than to the other.

Yugi blushed a hot pink at the comment. "No, I'm not," he muttered, casting his gaze to the ground since Atemu's smoldering eyes was only making his blushing situation worse.

"You don't think so?" Atemu murmured as he absentmindedly twirled one of Yugi's bangs around his finger. "I think you're beautiful."

Yugi released a sigh as he shook his head lightly. "You think a lot of things."

Atemu smirked again and tapped Yugi's nose with his finger. "And they're usually always right."

Yugi turned his eyes towards the sky with an amused look only to return his gaze to Atemu and tilt his head to the side slightly. "Can you teach me?" Yugi asked.

"Teach you what?" Atemu said, intrigued.

Yugi offered Atemu a small smile. "How to whistle."

"Of course, little one," he said. "It shouldn't take that long for you to learn."

If Atemu knew what he was hopelessly aware of right now then his response may have been, _"No, because after the second hour, I might just smash my head into the pavement_." But since he didn't know that Yugi was impossible to teach, he had readily agreed to the small youth's request.

So, here he was, two hours later, standing in front of Yugi with an exasperated expression, his arms crossed tightly over his chest so that he could refrain from ripping out his hair.

"No, little one, like this," he instructed, his voice still kind regardless of his utter annoyance with the whole situation. Impatience had always been one of his negative qualities but he would not let that reflect on how he talked to Yugi.

"Umm, like this?" And then Yugi blew air out of his mouth.

Atemu shook his head. "No, Yugi, you have to purse your lips, remember? Like this."

Yugi followed Atemu's demonstration, pursing his lips together like a fish. Atemu had to stifle a laugh at the adorable sight. Yugi was just too much.

"You're too cute," Atemu said, voicing his thoughts unintentionally.

Yugi tried to hide the red hue that spread out over his cheeks. Damn Atemu and his constant blush-worthy comments. "Atem, would you—"

But Yugi didn't have time to utter a complaint because Atemu's lips were covering his own, drawing him into the softest, most alluring kiss he had ever experienced in his life. Everything about the kiss was gentle. The way Atemu captured his bottom lip between his own; the way his hand fell over Yugi's cheek in a soothing manner; the way their lips pressed against the other's so tenderly.

It was exhilarating.

It was breathtaking.

It was simple and _beautiful_.

And it ended perfectly, with Atemu pulling away slowly.

But this bliss could only last so long and this became apparent the moment Atemu opened his eyes, disbelief highlighting the exotic rubies.

"Oh, god, Yugi," Atemu said quietly, removing his hand from Yugi's cheek quickly, "I'm so sorry, I don't know what came over—"

"Atem, it's okay" Yugi said, even though it wasn't, it absolutely wasn't. Yugi almost wanted to run back into his room and hide under his bed for a few weeks just to forget that this ever happened. How could Atemu kiss him? And how could he like it as much as he did? He wasn't ready for this.

Slowly, Yugi lowered himself to the ground, not caring in the least that he was wearing a white shirt. He let his head hit the ground last, keeping his hands on his stomach as he gazed out into the setting sun, the rays casting several different shades of orange across the sky. After a minute, Atemu followed his lead, lowering himself to lie on the ground as well. However, Atemu made sure to face the opposite direction, so that their faces where beside each other but so their feet were pointed towards different sections of the yard.

Yugi turned his head slightly so that he could see Atemu's striking eyes which were, at the moment, looking straightforward at the sky. The usual bright crimson was clouded with several conflicting emotions and Yugi frowned the second he noticed that Atemu was lost somewhere deep in his thoughts.

"You're a horrible teacher, you know," Yugi murmured quietly as he returned his gaze to the sun.

A small chuckle bubbled from Atemu's lips. "Yeah, I know."

And that's all that either could really say. Because if there was one thing they both had it common, it was how to avoid an uncomfortable situation. Changing the subject always worked.

Inside of the crevices of Atemu's mind, he was mentally kicking himself for his stupidity. Damnit, what had he been thinking? To lose control like that, to give into his attraction for Yugi. Okay, so he had lied to Kaiba earlier. He _did_ care about Yugi. More than he had anyone else in a long time. But that's all it was. He cared, nothing more. And he was just lucky that his kiss hadn't caused Yugi to go into withdrawal again.

But what Atemu didn't understand was why Yugi hadn't pushed him away and why he had actually kissed back. Maybe Yugi felt the same way about him. Maybe Yugi cared about him more so than his other friends. Maybe Yugi was attracted to him too. But that was all.

However, regardless of how angry Atemu was with himself for doing such a stupid thing, he could not force himself to regret it. He could not say that he didn't enjoy having Yugi's soft, petal-like lips pressed against his own. And what scared him the most was that he wanted to do it again.

Slowly, Atemu closed his eyes so that the sight of Yugi lying beside him wouldn't cause any more unnecessary problems. And besides, he needed to get his priorities and his thoughts straightened out if he had any hopes of restraining himself around Yugi. So, for the rest of the time he spent with Yugi, they lied there in silence, Atemu keeping his eyes close in deep meditation only opening them again when he realized that Yugi had started whistling.

* * *

Malik finally walked through the front door after dropping his keys _four_ times. He was near homicidal at this point. It seemed like God had teamed up with his patience to make his day a living hell for him and everybody who had the misfortune of walking into his office.

Flinging the door open with as much self-control as he could muster, he let his coat that he had flung over his shoulder fall to the floor with a small thump. He literally kicked his shoes off so that they hit the wall opposite him as well as startle Ryou who was, at the moment, staring at him curiously.

"Rough day?"

Malik rolled his eyes. "You could say that." He let himself fall onto the chair next to Ryou, his expression softening when he noticed the comic section of the newspaper set out in front of him. He smiled up at Ryou. "Thanks, Ry."

"No problem," Ryou said, waving him off as he continued to sip at his tea.

"Well, how was your day?" Malik asked, picking up the comics and glancing over them leisurely.

Ryou hesitated. "It was…interesting."

Malik looked up and raised an intrigued eyebrow. "How so?"

Ryou smiled a little, placing his cup back on the simple brown placemat. "I guess you could say that Yugi and I really got to a chance to connect today."

Malik seemed impressed by this. "Really now?"

Ryou nodded but before he could discuss the matter further, the shrill ring of the phone resonated throughout the room. Quickly swallowing his last gulp of tea, Ryou pushed out from the table and stood to his feet before walking over and picking up the phone from its spot on the counter.

"Hello, this is Ryou speaking," he said, putting the phone to his ear. Malik frowned when he noticed a concerned expression befall the other's face.

"Sure, hold on, let me get him," Ryou replied after a moment. Placing his hand over the receiver, Ryou walked over to the kitchen door and pushed it open a little with his hip. "Yugi! Phone!" he called out.

"Who is it?" Malik whispered quietly when Ryou walked back over to the table.

"I don't know," Ryou answered with a small shrug. "I didn't ask."

"Ryou?"

The youth in question turned his attention back to the door where Yugi was peeking through nervously. "Did you call me?"

"Yeah, you have a phone call," Ryou replied, reaching out the phone in Yugi's direction.

Yugi frowned at this. No one knew that he was living here so why was someone calling him? A mental light bulb suddenly lit up in his head. It was probably one of the jobs he applied for calling him back. That made sense. He did leave a few messages earlier today.

With two timid strides, Yugi took the phone from Ryou's hand and placed it to his ear. "Mr. Motou speaking," Yugi said, deciding that it was probably best to be formal when talking to a potential employer.

There was a hesitant pause and, for a moment, Yugi had thought that the person on the other line had hung up. He was proven horribly wrong though when a familiar voice reached his ears.

"_Yugi…"_

And just like that, Yugi's world came crashing down around him, leaving him to pick up the pieces once again.

* * *

_To Be Continued..._

* * *

Reviews/comments appreciated as always.


	6. Fall

Chapter 6: Fall

* * *

_"Stay up too late, and I'm too thin  
We promise each other it's 'til the end.  
I can't resist the day  
No, I can't resist the day."_

_Thump._

Eyes the color of majestic lavender closed slowly in an attempt to block out the incessant noise. His head was already throbbing from the chaotic events that had erupted in their household and even though things had simmered down, his headache would not go away.

_Thump._

A defeated sigh escaped Malik's lips, his eyes re-opening to see Ryou pacing back and forth across the living room, the brown eyes at a downcast, their usual shine completely dulled. Malik continued to watch his friend with tired eyes. Ryou had been at this for almost an hour now and Malik could feel his sanity deteriorating slowly.

_Thump. _

Ryou had one hand behind his back, his other hand cupping his chin in a thoughtful manner, his strides never faltering as he walked to one side of the room before pivoting on his heel and walking to the other side. Despite the seemingly calm and collected appearance of his friend, Malik knew that this was Ryou's way of becoming frantic.

_Thump. _

Malik sighed, pinching the bridge of his noise and closing his eyes again. "Jou, would you cut it out?" he snapped.

The blond in question gave Malik a sideways glance from his spot on the floor, his head resting on Yugi's bedroom door. He returned his gaze to Ryou's form, raising one of his legs and bending it at the knee so that he could sling his arm over it. "No."

He had eventually wound up on the floor after talking to Yugi's door for an hour, the only reply being silence, of course. So, at this point, he didn't know what to do.

_Thump. _

Malik growled when Jou hit the back of his head against the door again, his eyes snapping open as the last bit of his patience slipped away. "Jou, if you do that one more time, I swear, I _will_ kill you."

_Thump._

"That's it!" Malik flared, springing to his legs and stalking over to Jou's sitting form.

"Malik! Relax!" Ryou ordered, his eyes flashing in annoyance. "This is not what we need right now! So would you two stop acting like brats and focus!"

"Focus!" Jou shouted indignantly. "I am focused, damnit!"

"I really don't see how whacking your head against Yugi's door and driving all of us crazy is going to help us find a way to get Yugi out of his room!" Malik snarled, turning on his heel and walking back to his chair.

"What do you expect me to do?" Jou countered, glaring at the Egyptian as the other plopped down into the recliner. "Talking to him obviously wasn't working!"

"No,_ you_ talking to him isn't working," Ryou corrected, his statement earning him confused glances from his roommates.

"What do you mean?" Malik inquired, raising one eyebrow suspiciously.

Ryou shrugged. "You'll see soon. He should be here any moment."

It didn't take long for Jou to catch on to exactly who Ryou was talking about. "Ryou, you didn't," Jou groaned. When said man didn't response, the blond groaned again. "You did."

"You called Atemu?" Malik asked his pacing friend. "Are you sure that was a good idea? You know how he gets when it comes to Yugi."

Ryou paused in his pacing to toss the others a fleeting glance. "He's the only one who Yugi will talk to right now."

Jou shook his head slowly and used his hands to propel him into a standing position. "Yeah, well, let me tell you something. If Yugi doesn't let Atemu into his room, _his_ door, our _sofa_, and every single one of_ us_ are probably going out _that_ window."

"I don't think he'll go to that extreme."

"May I remind you of the war to end all wars last week with Marik?"

"Jou has a point, Ryou," Malik commented. "Atemu can lose his temper at times. I mean, look at who the guy lives with."

Ryou thought about this, his mind turning over the possible outcomes of all the items in their house. Their future did not look promising.

But before any of them could say anything else, the sound of the front door opening loudly resonated into the living room. "Oh, and here we go," Jou muttered.

"He still in his room?" Atemu asked the second he stepped into the living room.

"Yeah," Malik replied.

"How long has he been in there?" Atemu asked, gently shaking the knob only to confirm the fact that Yugi did, in fact, lock himself in his room.

It was Ryou who answered. "A little over an hour now. He…"

Atemu turned his head to look at him. "He what?"

"I don't know," Ryou sighed. "One moment he was fine and then he got a phone call from this guy and—"

Atemu visibly flinched. "What guy?"

"I didn't catch his name."

"Alright." Atemu glanced back at the door. "I need you all to get out," Atemu said. "Yugi won't let anyone come in if there's a crowd." His tone had left no room for discussion, but Jou apparently did not catch the memo.

"He's our friend too, you know," Jou retorted, crossing his arms over his chest to emphasize his uneasiness with the entire situation. He didn't want to leave Yugi alone. He wanted to be there, too.

"Jou," Malik hissed, already up from his chair. "Just listen to him."

"Malik's right," Ryou mumbled. "We couldn't do anything, Jou. It's only fair to give Atemu the same opportunity that we had."

Jou hesitated for a moment or two but eventually he heaved a loud sigh and turned towards the kitchen. "Alright."

Atemu waited until the three house occupants dispersed – Ryou and Malik both retreating to their bedrooms and Jou into the kitchen. Then, taking a deep breath, he turned back to the door, his eyes softening at the very thought that Yugi was upset.

Atemu let his eyes close, his heart beat pounding in his head for reasons he couldn't explain.

"Yugi," he called out, his tone soothing and inviting. "Yugi, its Atemu."

He waited, his stomach bubbling with anxiety, fear, hope. When he didn't get a response, he knocked.

"Yugi, can you open the door?" Atemu whispered loud enough for the other to hear. He waited again, his hands shaking in anticipation as he raised his fist to knock on the door once more.

"Yugi, please, let me in," he said, his voice cracking with one, six, a hundred emotions. "I just…want to talk."

He waited, his head throbbing painfully, bringing him to bouts of physical discomfort. And he waited, his bottom lip folding into his mouth so that he could gnaw on the tender flesh. And he waited, his breathing increasing in pace despite his attempts to control it.

Damnit, did he hate waiting.

And right when he was about to voice his thoughts, a smaller, defeated voice managed to rise above all else; his disguise, his mask, his façade.

And the voice completely broke him.

"_Go away."_

"Yugi," Atemu replied instantly, not hiding the offense in his voice at the other's request. "Yugi, open this door, please, let me help you," he pleaded, his words falling from his lips before he could stop them. "Let me be there for you."

And then there was silence. Complete and utter silence. And Atemu hadn't been so unnerved in years. Yugi was reverting back to his previous self and, right now, there was a door preventing Atemu from doing anything about it.

But he wouldn't let it happen. No, he'd be _damned_ if he let it happen again. He'd be _damned_ if he let someone hurt Yugi again. Not when they were just starting to get somewhere; not after all the hours and days that it took to even get Yugi to talk, to smile; not when Yugi was starting to return to the beautiful and carefree nature that Atemu knew the younger man was capable of.

No, he wouldn't let this happen. He wouldn't let Yugi slip; he wouldn't let Yugi go.

And he knew what these feelings were. He knew what they meant. This want, this need. He knew what he felt for the younger surpassed anything he had felt for someone in years, in this lifetime at Serene Oasis. And he knew just how deeply he had fallen, but he couldn't admit it. Because this was exactly why he was here in the first place – to bury his past and keep himself from opening up to someone again; from falling for someone. Yugi was the person he should have been running away from. So why was he still at his door?

With a deep sigh, Atemu allowed his forehead to fall against the door, his eyes closing once again to block out everything that wasn't Yugi.

"Little one," Atemu murmured, his heart slowly breaking down its shields as he attempted to get through to the other. "Please, my little one, please. Just…open the door." He paused, exhaling another sigh. "For me."

He knew how pathetic he sounded. He knew that his usual collected self was slipping. But, right now, he just didn't care.

He was so absorbed in his thoughts that he didn't hear the sound of the door unlocking nor did he hear Yugi's meek invitation to enter. He only realized that he had been allowed entrance when the door opened slightly, causing his head to fall forward unexpectedly with the sudden lack of support.

The first thing Atemu did was reach out for Yugi and pull the other into his arms. "Yugi," he uttered, burying his face into the soft tresses of Yugi's hair. "Are you okay? What happened? Did someone say something to you? Who called—?

"Atem," Yugi said, his voice low, different, hopeless. He pulled himself away from the embrace that he had grown to adore, the arms that he had once found comfort in. He looked up at the other and Atemu had to stifle a gasp at seeing the once breathtaking violet orbs stained with red lines, evidence that Yugi had been crying for quite some time now. A few salty trails still tainted the soft cheeks.

"Y-Yugi," he stuttered, struggling with all his might to keep his emotions in check. He had never seen Yugi cry. "What happened?" he asked, his eyes searching the other's for an answer. But Yugi didn't give him one.

"You shouldn't be here," Yugi murmured, turning his back to Atemu and proceeding back over to his nightstand. "I'll be fine."

Yugi jumped in surprise when a hand came to grasp his wrist tightly, forcing him to turn back around.

"You must think I'm stupid," Atemu said, the scarlet pools a little bit darker than they were before. "You're not fine, Yugi. Please don't lie to my face."

As soon as the words left Atemu's mouth, Yugi's pretty eyes narrowed. "Get. Out."

"Like hell," Atemu retorted, his hand still latched onto Yugi's wrist. "I'm not going anywhere until you talk to me, Yugi."

"Well then, I hope you like disappointment." Yugi made a move to yank his arm free, but it was obvious that Atemu was in no mood for games.

"Yugi, what happened?" he asked, but this time it sounded more like a demand. Atemu pulled the other close so that there faces were only inches apart. "And don't lie to me."

"Stop acting like you care about me, Atemu!" Yugi yelled, successfully pulling his arm out of the other's grasp, too blinded by tears to notice Atemu's shocked face. "Because I'm sick of it!"

"Acting?" Atemu shouted, the word like acid on his tongue. "You think that I'm acting like I care about you?"

"Aren't you?" Yugi mused without humor, turning his face to the side.

"Yugi, look at me," Atemu hissed, roughly cupping the other's chin in his hands and forcing their eyes to clash in a desperate and almost undefeatable battle. "Look into my eyes and see how much I care about you, see how much I adore you," Atemu's voice strained. "Tell me that it's fake," he demanded, his body shaking with restrained emotions. "Tell me what I feel for you isn't real."

"No!" Yugi exclaimed, pushing Atemu away from him. "Don't tell me its real, Atem. Don't. Please, don't."

"Why not?" Atemu implored, his face red and his fists clenched tightly. "Why don't you want someone to care about you, Yugi?"

"Because I don't want to get hurt again!"

"I would never hurt you, Yugi."

"Yes," Yugi said, his tears stinging his eyes. "Yes, you will. In the end, I'm just going to lose everybody, Atem."

"That's not true," Atemu replied. "At least, not in this situation, because I would never leave you, Yugi."

And that was the final blow in Yugi's self-control. Atemu still didn't now what was going on or what had happened between Yugi and whoever it was that Yugi had been talking to earlier. However, he could care less at the moment. Because this was the moment that Yugi broke entirely.

"Oh, Atem, I lost him," Yugi cried, collapsing to the ground on his knees and slamming his fists against. "I lost the only person who's ever known who I am, who I'm not, and who I want to be…" he trailed off into tears.

In the next second, Atemu was on the ground beside him, pulling him into a soothing embrace. "Yugi, please talk to me. Tell me how I can help you," Atemu mumbled.

"No, I can't." Yugi continued to sob into the other's chest. "I can't."

Slowly, Atemu pulled away from Yugi just enough so he could gaze into the dull iris-colored orbs that he cherished so much. Large drops of tears pooled at the corners, rolling down Yugi's face like rivers. So, as soft and gentle as he could, Atemu pressed his lips to Yugi's own, only close enough so that they were faintly touching. "I'll always be here for you, Yugi. Always, always, always," he repeated over and over again, hoping that if he said it for long enough then maybe Yugi would finally understand.

They sat there on the floor for what could have been hours, Atemu's arms wrapped protectively around Yugi's fragile form, his heart working on sewing Yugi's own back to normal as he continued to whisper silent promises, his lips leaving ghost-like traces on Yugi's mouth, his breath making the tears on the other's cheeks cold until, eventually, they ceased to exist.

* * *

Jou drummed his fingers on the table, a cup of hot coffee sitting in front his dancing digits courtesy of Kaiba, who had stopped in to check up on Atemu. But since his cousin was still in Yugi's room, he instead made himself comfortable at the kitchen table with Jou.

"What are you doing?" The blond muttered, his head resting in one hand while the other continued its assault on the table.

Kaiba didn't even look up, his own fingers tapping away at the buttons of his laptop. "Researching."

"Researching what?" Jou inquired, one eyebrow rising sharply.

But Kaiba didn't answer. Instead, the brunet just sat there, his hands coming to a sudden halt, the cobalt eyes widening minutely.

"What?" Jou asked, sitting straight in his chair. "What's up? What you find?"

"Jou," Kaiba said, ignoring the other's question. "What do you know about Yugi's life? Before he came here, I mean."

"Hmm, not much really. He doesn't exactly like talking about his past," Jou mused before returning his gaze to Kaiba's. "Why?"

The brunet looked troubled for a moment. "Did you know that he had a brother?"

"Really?" Jou said. "I would have figured him as an only child. He's not—" he paused, Kaiba's words finally sinking in. "Wait, what do you mean 'had'?

Kaiba shook his head slightly, leaning back in his chair to exhale a prolonged sigh. He turned his laptop around so that the other was able to clearly see the newspaper article that was being displayed on the screen. Jou's eyes widened as he read the title along with the small printed paragraphs underneath it.

"He had a brother named Yami Motou," Kaiba stated quietly. "He's dead."

"No…" Jou said, his voice barely audible. "This…this is why he's…why—"

"I'm not exactly sure," the brunet replied. "But I'm sure this has something to do with what's going on."

Jou glanced up at the other, his face completely serious. "Are you going to tell Atemu?"

"No," Kaiba answered almost instantly. "That Yugi's place. I've already crossed the line in showing you this. You know, you can't let him find out that you know this, right?"

"I know," Jou said, closing the laptop and raking a hand through his blond mane. "Damn," he muttered.

Kaiba nodded slowly before rising to his feet, his laptop placed neatly in his arms. "I should leave. Let me know when Atemu is out of Yugi's room. I'm guessing it'll be a while."

"Seto…" Jou called after the retreating brunet, the amber eyes twisted with sadness. Whether it was from the article or from something else, neither knew. "What happened …to us?"

Kaiba hesitated, his hand resting firmly on the doorknob, his eyes never leaving Jou's. "I don't know."

Jou sighed, burying his face into his outstretched palms. He ignored the sound of the door opening and closing though he couldn't ignore the knife that stabbed through his heart. "The funny thing is…" Jou said long after Kaiba had left, "you do know."

* * *

To Be Continued...

* * *

Reviews?


	7. Resist

Chapter 7: Resist

* * *

_"Now we're spinning empty bottles,  
it's the five of us."_

_It was surreal; the way the wind twirled past his cheeks, slipping through the blond fringe that hung over his eyes and ruffling the ebony tresses of his mane. He pushed his legs out straight in front of him to propel the swing upwards and suddenly the crystal blue paint of the sky didn't seem so far. He released his grip off of the chains holding the swing to the metal bar above his head, and reached out towards the clouds, his eyes never leaving the sky._

_He felt the bottom of the swing slip out from underneath him, and the wind rush past him at an alarming rate and, for a moment, he was flying. It was only when gravity pulled him back that his heart jumped out of his chest. He closed his eyes with his hands as he went plummeting back to earth, squealing when he landed in someone's arms; that someone grunting at the added weight and sudden impact._

_It took him a few moments, but eventually, Yugi peeled his hands away from his eyes, only to look up and see a pair of amused rubies staring back at him._

_"You know, Yugi, there are plenty of other subtle ways to kill yourself?"_

_Yugi sighed, his legs still shaking lightly when he was placed on the ground. He shot his brother a small glare. "I wouldn't have died. I jumped off a swing, Yami, not the Empire State building."_

_"Well, the next time you decide to jump off anything, will you please, at the very least, look to see if anyone's there?"_

_Yugi scowled. "You know, I came to the park to clear my mind, not to hear you complain."_

_Yami smiled at his brother, Yugi's scowl increasing when the elder reached over and ruffled his hair. "We should get going soon," Yami said. "Grandpa will be waiting for us."_

_Yugi sighed, glancing at his watch. "Yeah, I know," he said._

_By the time Yugi looked up, Yami had already started walking. He had to walk a little faster to catch up with his brother's long strides. It was times like this where Yugi envied their height difference but he refused to dwell on it, since, in all honesty, he envied almost everything about Yami._

_Yugi glanced at Yami when he started whistling, another talent that he had yet to acquire._

_"So," Yami said, looking down at his brother, "what do you want to do for your birthday?"_

_Yugi shrugged. "Nothing special. I mean, I'm only turning eighteen."_

_"What are you talking about? Eighteen is a big one," Yami said. "We should throw a party."_

_Yugi shoved him a little. "Don't you dare." He glared playfully. But the glint in his eyes quickly faded as he remembered the harsh reality surrounding his existence. "Besides the only people who would come are you and Grandpa."_

_Yami became silent, and it took Yugi a moment to realize that he was walking alone. He stopped, turning his body to gaze at his older brother._

_Yami looked hurt. "Yugi-"_

_"You know it's true."_

_"Yugi," Yami said. "You know that I'm always here for you, don't you? If you need somebody to talk to."_

_"I know, Yami," he sighed. A small wave of guilt washed over him. He didn't want Yami to worry about him, not when the elder had so many other things to take of including their grandpa, school, and running the shop. He didn't want to be burden, especially not to the person who had taken so much care of him after their parent's deaths._

_Yami watched him for a moment, then smiled slightly. Walking forward, he put a hand on his brother's shoulder. "Things will get easier, Yugi. I promise. You have your whole life ahead of you and, soon enough, you'll be on your own journey and you'll be able to leave all of this behind."_

_Yugi brushed the hand away and looked up at his older brother. "What if I get lost along the way?"_

_Yami grinned down at Yugi, his eyes sparkling. "Then you can just follow me until you find your own way again."_

_A smile broke out across Yugi's face, lighting up his round, amethyst gems. "Thanks," he whispered and, without another word, they began walking again._

_When they were only a block away from the house, Yami looked over at his brother and smiled. "I can't believe my baby brother's growing up."_

_Yugi rolled his eyes, sending the other a glare. "You're only a year older than me, Yami."_

_The elder shrugged his shoulders. "You could be 25, but you will always be my baby brother," Yami said, taking on a thoughtful expression. "Speaking of getting older, I need to get you on a date."_

_Yugi shot him a sideways glance. "Thanks but I think I can handle my own non-existent love life."_

_Yami laughed. "Okay, okay." He nudged his brother's side with his elbow. "But you have to promise me one thing, Yugi."_

_Yugi raised an eyebrow. "What's that?"_

_Yami smiled and tilted his head a bit. "That when you fall in love with someone, I'm the first to meet the lucky bastard."_

_The younger pursed his lips to make it appear like he was thinking, then broke out laughing when Yami frowned. "Oh, stop, I'm just kidding. You already know you'll be the first."_

_Yami grinned, shoving his brother a little. "So, it's a deal?"_

_Yugi nodded, returning the gesture whole-heartedly. "Deal."_

* * *

"So, he was pretty cool, huh?"

Yugi nodded slowly, his eyes still glued to a lone tree outside his window. "Yeah, he was." He looked over at Atemu, who sat opposite of him on his bed, both of them leaning against one end of the bedpost. "He was always looking out for me."

Atemu smiled. "Sounds like Kaiba."

Yugi laughed. "Yeah, pretty much." He shot Atemu a fleeting glance before turning his gaze back to the tree. "You look like him, you know. I mean, I guess I do too, but you have his eyes." Yugi ruffled his hair and sighed. "It was weird at first, being around you," he said quietly. "It hurt a lot whenever I saw you, but at the same time, you made me feel...like I wasn't alone anymore." He smiled a bit. "It took me a while. But after a few months had past and I got to know you, I realized that no matter how much you look like him, you weren't him. So, it was okay...what I felt for you was okay."

That made Atemu smile but it also made a overwhelming wave a panic bubble inside of him. One that he quickly pushed away. "Little one," Atemu said, changing the subject. "Who was it that called you?"

Yugi sighed. He brought his knees to his chest, wrapping his arms around them. "It was my grandfather. He...he wanted me to come back home."

A lump formed in Atemu's throat, and he swallowed it and breathed in deeply before asking his next question. "Are you?"

Much to his relief, Yugi shook his head lightly. "I'm not ready to leave. I'm not ready to face...everything that I left just yet."

"But..." Atemu's stomach began to twist and turn again. "You plan to leave...?"

Yugi gazed at him. "I don't want to leave, Atem."

Atemu raised a hand and rubbed his temples. "But, are you going to leave?"

Yugi heard the real question behind Atemu's words, and he raised his eyes to lock onto Atemu's own. "I'd never leave you all behind, Atem. Not Ryou, not Jou, not Malik," he said, his voice steady, certain. "Not you."

Atemu stopped his ministrations and asked a question that, once again, took the attention off of him. "So, what happened to him, Yugi? To Yami?"

Yugi's eyes narrowed a tiny bit as he continued to watch the leaves on the tree outside sway in the wind. "I don't want to talk about it."

"But, Yugi, you can't just keep it to yourself-"

"Why not?"

"Because I don't want you to carry this burden alone."

"I came here to forget, to move on." Yugi turned and eyed him curiously. "Why won't you let me, Atem?"

"Oh, Yugi," Atemu sighed, looking off to the side. "I just want to help you."

A movement on the bed made him glance back at Yugi, only to blink in surprise when he met a pair of amethyst eyes only inches away from his face. Yugi's hands were planted by his side, the younger man on his knees in front of him. Before Atemu could question him, Yugi leaned forward and pressed a soft kiss against the other's lips, pulling away before Atemu could respond. He smiled slightly.

"I'm ready to move on whenever you are," Yugi murmured quietly.

Atemu watched the other as he got off the bed and proceeded out the bedroom door. He sat there for a while, staring at nothing, his thoughts bouncing off the walls of his mind. This had been the first kiss that Yugi had initiated, and it had sent everything that he had been trying to ignore for the past few weeks straight to hell.

* * *

Kaiba groaned when the sound of Atemu's annoyed voice resonated from the kitchen, Bakura shouting back a few profanities at the other just for the sake of arguing. He tried not to acknowledge his cousin's presence when he stepped into the study, but Atemu seemed intent on grasping his attention. So with a long, drawn-out sigh, Kaiba raised his eyes to meet his cousin, not at all surprised when he saw the other pacing back and forth across the room.

"So, is Yugi okay now?" Kaiba asked.

Atemu shrugged his shoulders and continued his pacing. "I guess."

The brunet's eyes widened fractionally at the indifferent response. Usually, anything concerning Yugi had Atemu off on a five-hour rant. "And...are you okay?" he inquired cautiously.

"Just peachy."

Kaiba rolled his eyes. "Alright, spill. What happened?" he asked.

"Nothing," the other snapped.

"Atemu," he warned wearily.

The sun-kissed man stopped in his tracks and turned to his cousin. "He said that he's ready to move on whenever I am. What the hell does that even mean?"

Kaiba raised his eyebrows at Atemu's tone. "Maybe he's tired of you trying to bring up his past." He eyed his cousin with scrutiny. "Maybe he just wants you to let it go and, I don't know, _be_ with him. But, of course, that's assuming that he believes he can get past your stubbornness first."

Atemu shot him a fiery glare. "Thanks, Kaiba. You're just so goddamn helpful." He raked a hand through his tri-colored locks and shifted his weight onto one leg. "You know what I think?"

"No, and frankly I don't-"

"I think he was just trying to throw me off. I mean, he needs help. I know he does." Atemu growled in frustration. "I don't understand why he won't just let me help him."

"That's it, Atemu," Kaiba announced, standing from his desk. "I am sick and tired of your endless bouts of denial. I'm done playing a role in the delusional part of your brain that's telling yourself that what you're doing to yourself is okay."

"You're speaking nonsense," Atemu said, waving him off.

All it took was one swift movement, and Kaiba had caught Atemu by the shoulders. "Damnit, would you stop seeing him as a patient that you can fix?" the brunet snapped, shaking him harshly. "For Christ's sake, Atemu, you love him."

Atemu broke free of his cousin's grasp and glared at him dangerously, the scarlet eyes narrowing on china blue. "No, I don't."

"Yes. Yes, you do."

"Fuck you, Kaiba. I don't, okay?" Atemu turned away, trying to block out the other's words.

But Kaiba remained persistent. "You do, Atemu. You know you do."

"I can't!" Atemu shouted, bursting into a sea of frustrated tears.

And there it was. The walls that Atemu had tried so hard to build came crumbling down. Kaiba knew that Atemu had put so much effort and time into keeping his feelings for Yugi at bay, but, in the end, his defense broke. Like a dam, everything came flooding out in the shape of the crystalline drops that slid down Atemu's cheeks. And it took a moment for Kaiba to realize that he hadn't seen Atemu cry in years.

And when Atemu swayed forward, Kaiba reached out and caught his cousin. "Why are you fighting this?" he asked, holding Atemu up by his shoulders.

"Because," Atemu cried. "I love him too much." He buried his face into his cousin's chest, his pride wounded but his emotional strife too heavy to care. "It hurts, Seto," Atemu whispered, reverting back to their younger years, when image didn't matter. "I always think about him, and I always want to be with him. I have no control, Seto."

Kaiba sighed, and wrapped his arms around his shaking cousin's body. "It's alright, Atemu."

"No, its not. What if he leaves me, too?"

"He won't."

"I love him more than anything. It would kill me, Seto. I would break if he left me."

Atemu's body continued to tremble in his cousin's arms, and Kaiba finally realized that, after all these years, Atemu was still the fragile, broken man that he had been when they had first arrived here. Maybe time couldn't heal everything. But maybe Yugi could.

"Atemu," the brunet said, "you may not have realized this, but Yugi loves you. I know he does, I can tell. He's not going to hurt you."

But Atemu's emotionally distraught mind could not comprehend his cousin's words. And, at the moment, there was only one thing that Atemu knew for sure. "I love him so much, Seto," he cried quietly. "So much."

Kaiba sighed, knowing that Atemu was not in the mindset to listen to reason. Instead, he just continued to hold his cousin up, because he was probably the last person who wanted to see him fall again. "Everything's going to be fine, Atemu," he said. "Everything's going to be fine."

* * *

_To Be Continued..._

* * *

Reviews/comments are appreciated as always.


	8. First

Chapter 8: First

* * *

_"My first time, hard to explain  
Rush of blood, oh, and a little bit of pain  
On a cloudy day, it's more common than you think.  
He's my first mistake."_

It was amazing. After having held so much regret and pain in a glass bubble for so many years, it was utterly amazing to have it shatter and release everything that was holding him back. It was ironic, given his profession, that he would think it was okay to hold so much in for so long. It was destructive. It was dangerous. It was _stupid_.

Kaiba was right, and it had taken him until now to realize that. And what got him rattled up even more, is when he realized that his insecurity with himself could have cost him Yugi.

Atemu sighed at the thought, vowing that no matter what, he could not let that happen. He didn't know everything; that was a fact. But what he did know was that Yugi meant the world to him, and he wouldn't stop until he was sure that Yugi knew that. This was his intention when he entered the household beside his, in search of his smaller counterpart. He walked into the living room and slipped open the glass doors that led to the backyard, coughing when a burst of smoke filled his lungs.

"Malik, you're burning them!" He heard Ryou admonish. He waved a hand in front of his face and looked at Malik, who stood behind the grill, cooking what looked like hamburgers. Or at least, they used to be hamburgers.

"They taste better this way," Malik countered.

Ryou glared at him. "Says you."

"Exactly," Malik said, looking at Ryou. "And haven't we learned by now that listening to me is the only way to survive in this world?"

"Pfft." Ryou crossed his arms. "Just don't burn them anymore than you already have. I want to be able to chew it!"

"Damnit. I guess that ruins my plan to kill you by having you choke on my burger."

Ryou opened his mouth to respond, hesitated, then closed it again. He glanced at Yugi, who sat at the bottom of the deck stairs in his chair, reading a book while trying his hardest to ignore them. "Yugi," he shouted, "could you please talk some sense into him?"

Yugi shook his head, smiling a bit, and turned a page in his book. Malik turned his head around to look at him and grinned. "Oh, yes, Yugi, share with us some wise words."

"Haha," Yuugi chuckled, as he settled his book down on the grass beside him. "I think you're mistaking me for Atem."

Jou sat up from his sprawled position over the deck stairs and laughed. "Can ya blame us?"

Yugi shrugged. "Guess not."

Atemu watched everything from the door and, when he finally did step forward, Ryou turned to look at him, a brilliant smile lighting up his face. "Hey there!" he greeted. "I'm glad you're here. Do you want a burger?"

Atemu hesitated and glanced over at the grill. "That depends," he said. "Is Malik going to cook it?"

"I can hear you!"

"We know!" Ryou yelled back. He turned to Atemu with a sheepish grin. "It'll be fine. I'll watch him." Then Ryou motioned to where Yugi was sitting, he and Jou still oblivious to Atemu's arrival. "I'll let you know when it's done. It should only take about five minutes."

Atemu nodded and walked down the wooden-oak stairs, bypassing Jou on his descent. He approached Yugi with care, and the younger looked pleasantly surprised when he glanced up and saw Atemu standing in front of him.

Atemu offered him a small smile, then gestured to the free chair beside him. "Can I sit?" he asked.

Yugi pursed his lips, thinking, then nodded slowly, and scooted over in his chair. He jerked his head toward the tiny space next to him. Atemu glanced at the seat, then back at Yugi. "You're kidding," he said. "Right?"

Yugi narrowed his eyes. "No, I'm not."

Atemu raised both eyebrows to his hairline. "Yugi, there is no possible way that we can both fit in this chair."

"I think Atemu is callin' you fat, Yug'."

"I am doing no such thing," Atemu replied, shooting Jou a contemptuous glare, before looking back at Yugi. "But it just isn't..." Atemu trailed off and sighed at the expression on Yugi's face. "Alright," he exhaled.

It wasn't easy for Atemu to fit himself into the almost non-existent space Yugi left for him. He was only thankful that they were both of relatively small statue and, therefore, it wasn't as much as an impossible challenge as it would have been for a pair like Jou and Kaiba. Atemu inwardly snickered at the visual and, by the time he had positioned himself in the seat, both he and Yugi were leaning off the armrests.

Atemu sent him a mock glare. "Happy?"

"Very."

"And your reason for this?"

The smaller shrugged. "It's good to have someone next to you after a massive breakdown." Yugi smiled at him. "I had you, y'know."

Atemu's eyes went wide. "How did you-?"

"It's easy to tell," Yugi answered.

And it was. The tight lines that had once been used to draw Atemu's handsome face were looser, almost smudged. His russet irises were more vibrant than ever, and they glowed with something amazing. His hair was not so stick-straight, but more full and wild; his smile more beautiful, more real. "You look...different," Yugi said with a small upturn of his lips.

At the response, Atemu raised an amused eyebrow, smirking. "And who's the psychologist here?"

Yugi shook his head. "Did you ever think that maybe it's just because I know you so well?"

Atemu leaned back against the chair. "That's also a possibility." He turned his eyes to Yugi. "How are you doing, little one?" he asked.

Yugi glanced at him and tilted his head at the question. "I'm okay," he said. "How are _you _doing?"

Atemu smiled at him. "Okay."

The smaller nodded, then looked back to his lap. "You want to ask me something."

"What?"

Yugi sighed. "I can tell," he explained. "You always bite your lip when you want to ask me something, but you're not sure how to say it." Yugi paused. "What is it?"

It wasn't until Yugi mentioned it that Atemu realized that he was indeed biting his bottom lip. It took him another moment or two to search his mind for the question that Yugi pointed out, and when he finally found it, he was stunned into utter silence.

"Atem?" Yugi murmured, his voice laced with worry. "Are you sure you're okay?"

Atemu looked at Yugi, and shook his head to rid himself of his impulsive, absurd thoughts. He inhaled a deep breath. "I'm sure," he said quietly.

Yugi nodded slowly, hesitating. "Alright," he assented.

"Yugi! Atemu!" Ryou called out, snapping them out of their own little world. They looked up at the deck, to where he was waving them over. "Come eat this before Jou does."

Both men nodded, leaning forward and pushing their weight onto their feet. It was only when the side of their hips pressed together and sent them both falling back into the chair that they realized they were pretty damn stuck. Atemu glanced at the armrest beside him, then at Yugi on his other side. "Any other brilliant ideas, little one?"

Yugi laughed. "Hey, you're the one taking up most of the chair!"

"Oh, so this is my fault?" Atemu smirked and then leaned his head against the back of the chair. "Well if I had to be stuck in a chair with someone until we can ease our way out, then I'm glad it was you."

Yugi rolled his eyes, a wide smile on his face. "Atem, I already love you; you can stop the flattery."

It was said in a light tone; playful even. But the words made them both freeze, and everything inside them went perfectly still. "I mean," Yugi started, attempting at some damage control. "I...I didn't..."

"Yugi."

He glanced at Atemu, a deep blush dusting over his cheeks, and then turned to stare at his hands. He heard Atemu sigh and shuddered lightly when the elder reached over and brushed the back of his hand across flushed cheek.

"Don't," Atemu whispered. He traced his fingers down the side of Yugi's face and under his chin, lifting his head up, until Yugi met his eyes. "Don't take it back," he said.

A small sound escaped Yugi's lips, an intake of breath, of Atemu. And he stared at him until he knew exactly how many times that distinct brown swirl circled Atemu's eyes; until he could trace every individual eyelash; until he couldn't be sure if he was seeing him clearly anymore.

Hesitantly, Yugi leaned forward, into the touch, and Atemu met his lips halfway. The kiss was full of promises and need. They pressed their bodies together and slowly slid out of the chair, and Yugi let Atemu lead him up the deck and inside. They walked by their friends, without the faintest acknowledgment, and this was all it took for everybody to understand.

Yugi's room was dark, hollow and empty of memories, but they made their own, with each step, with every breath they took, life was that much more real.

Atemu grabbed Yugi by his elbow and pulled him close, so that their breath ghosted over each other's cheeks, shaking with anticipation. He slipped Yugi's shirt over his head and lowered their bodies down to the bed. Every place Atemu touched sent a spark through Yugi's mind, numbing his thoughts and fears, and showing him how beautiful their love really was – and what it meant, what it felt like to be loved by someone truly, unconditionally, completely. And every word Yugi whispered sent Atemu into a world of his own, where only he and Yugi existed and, for them, that was enough.

After spending so long closing themselves off to the world, they were now ready to open up and let the other fill them with love, affection, devotion, and loyalty; a whole story.

* * *

_Yugi slid down the wall and onto his knees, his eyes closed tight as he gasped for air. He yelped when a hand fisted in his hair and pulled at it, forcing him to look up at his assailant. "Aw, is little Yugi gonna cry?" the brown-eyed man teased. Two other men laughed from behind him._

_"Leave...me...alone, Ushio," Yugi breathed out, turning his eyes away from them._

_Ushio's face twisted in anger. "What was that?" he said, pulling even harder at Yugi's hair._

_Yugi cried out at the stinging pain in his skull. "I said," he whispered, "leave-"_

_The blow to his stomach was even harsher than the first, and Yugi doubled over in pain as beads of sweat trickled down his forehead, his breathing erratic and labored. Through his half-lidded eyes, he saw Ushio draw back for another punch. He instantly closed his eyes, preparing for the attack. When nothing came, Yugi peeked one eye open and inhaled sharply when his eyes fell upon his older brother standing in front of him like a shield._

_"Well, looky here boys," Ushio taunted, his eyes glowing. "Sad, isn't it, Yami?" he said, glancing at Yugi. "How does it feel to have this pathetic weakling as a brother?"_

_Yami visibly tensed, his teeth clenching. He raised his fists in front of him. His lips curved into a smirk. "Let's go, Ushio," he challenged._

_Ushio threw his head back and laughed. "You're not worth it," he spat, then looked at Yugi. "I'll see you soon — fuck!" Ushio stumbled back, cradling his broken jaw in his hand, just as Yami brought his fist back beside his face, the knuckles already dark and bruised with the intensity of the harsh blow._

_"If you so much as touch an eyelash on Yugi again, I will not hesitate to break every bone in your body." Yami leveled his glare. "Understand?"_

_Ushio narrowed his eyes, spitting out a wad of blood on the pavement. "You're out-numbered," he hissed._

_"Doesn't matter," Yami said. "I can still take you, and you know I can."_

_Ushio hesitated. It wouldn't be the first time that he and Yami fought it out. Though the older Motou paled in comparison to him when it came to size, he was quick and strong, years of martial arts giving him the ultimate advantage. It would take more than three people to take him down. "I'm not wasting my time on you," he eventually said. He glanced at Yugi one more time, before bypassing Yami, who wasn't stupid enough to let his guard down just yet. "You better watch it, Motou."_

_Yami didn't so much as bat an eyelash at the threat. "As should you, Ushio," he warned._

_Ushio glared at him, then turned and walked out of the alley, his two friends following suit. Yami kept his eyes on all of them until they were out of sight, and then turned around to look at Yugi, who was just now getting to his feet. "Are you okay, Yugi?"_

_"I'm fine," the younger whispered, dusting the dirt off his pants. He tried not to wince as his hand brushed over a bruise on his thigh, but Yami caught it anyways._

_The elder crossed his arms and continued watching Yugi carefully for any other signs of injury. "How long has this been going on?" he asked._

_Yugi looked at him. "I said I'm fine."_

_He went to leave, but Yami pushed him back and snatched his wrists. "Yugi!" he said. "Don't you dare walk away from me."_

_"Leave me alone, Yami!" Yugi shouted, trying to yank his arms free of Yami's grasp to no avail. "What do you want me to say? I'm almost twenty years old, and I still can't defend myself. I still need my older brother to come and save me!"_

_Yami gasped, his eyes growing wide with shock. "Is that what this is about, Yugi? That's why you didn't tell me?" He let go of Yugi's wrists, and his eyes narrowed sharply. "Damnit, Yugi! I'm your brother! I'm supposed to be there, and you're supposed to want me to be there!"_

_"I do!" Yugi yelled, as the first trace of tears ran down his face. "But for once, I want to be the one protecting you!"_

_They both went silent, and Yami immediately reached forward to pull his brother into a hug. He let Yugi cry into his shirt and pet his brother's hair, soothing the pain. "You have no idea how much you mean to me, do you?" _

_When Yugi opened his mouth to respond, all that came out was a strangled sob. "Oh, Yugi…" Yami said, deciding to let Yugi's words go for the time being. "It'll be okay," he whispered after Yugi's body stilled in his arms, after the pain started to dull away, until his brother's tears were just falling freely. "Everything's going to be okay."_

* * *

Atemu pulled the blankets up to cover their bodies and then settled against Yugi once more, back into the inviting heat as Yugi snaked his arms around his waist and pulled him close. For a while, he just watched Yugi, touching his porcelain face with his fingertips, tracing the shape of his lips, the underside of his chin. And it was then, as he lifted Yugi's head up to see his beautiful, sleeping face, that he realized that there was no way he could live without Yugi in his life. The mere thought was inconceivable, and the question that he had wanted to ask the younger earlier came back full force, lingering on the very tip of his tongue.

Exhaling softly, Atemu brushed away Yugi's silky golden bangs and pressed a kiss to his forehead. "Yugi," he whispered, as his eyes slipped closed. "Marry me?"

As the final spells of sleep overcame him, Yugi's purple eyes snapped open and looked directly at Atemu. A tidal wave of emotion racked against his chest; relief, shock, panic, happiness, fear. But it was when he felt the heaviness of regret weigh on his heart that tears stung his eyes. He tried to blink them away, but they clung to his eyelashes and trailed down his cheeks, leaving cold streaks in their wake. He tucked his head under Atemu's chin, inhaling his sweet scent, as he sobbed quietly into Atemu's chest. "I can't."

* * *

To Be Continued...

* * *

Reviews/comments appreciated as always.


	9. Gone

Chapter 9

* * *

_"These silly little wounds will never mend._  
_I feel so far from where I've been._  
_So I go, and I will not be back here again._  
_I'm gone as the day is fading on white houses."_

Yugi packed his bag, crossing his room from one side to the other to collect what was his. He tossed everything into it, unfolded and tangled together into one great mess. His life was once again reduced to a duffle bag and a suitcase.

"So, that's it, huh?"

He didn't acknowledge the question, because there was not a word in the English language that could make him leaving any easier for anyone; that could explain what he was doing; that could put logic behind his movements as he emptied out his nightstand into his bag.

"Do you even care what you're doing to us?"

Of course he did. Yugi knew that. But his actions were betraying how he felt. What he wanted was no longer what he needed. So this was him, doing what he needed to do. Not what he wanted to do.

"Damnit, Yug!" He jumped slightly when the wall crumbled in under Jou's fist. "At least have the balls to tell me why you're goin'. Aren't you sick of runnin' away from everybody?"

He was. But what Jou didn't understand is that he wasn't running away from them. He was running back to where he started; to where all of this began.

"You know what? I don't care. Why should I? When you obviously don't. Do whatever you want – "

"Jou."

And then he stopped. He stopped yelling at Yugi, because it was the first time he had called him that and, when the amber eyes narrowed sadly in realization of that, Yugi put down the clothes in his hands and looked directly at one of the best friends he ever had. "I will miss you all more than anything," Yugi said, and it was the most genuine thing he had ever said. "But I have to leave. I need to go back home and…figure things out. Please understand, Jou."

Yugi waited a little while for Jou to respond. When he didn't, Yugi picked back up the pile of clothes on his bed and put the last of his belongings into his bags. It was when he began to zip them close that Jou sat down on edge of the bed and looked at him again.

"Will you be back?" Jou asked, quietly.

Yugi wanted to be honest with him. And he didn't want to imagine a world without anyone he had met in Serene Oasis in it. But he didn't know what to expect for himself when he got back home. He didn't know how or if he was going to cope with the nightmares that waited there for him - the memories. He didn't know anything at all.

So he was honest. "I don't know."

At his words, the corner of Jou's lips twitched and the golden bangs that shadowed his eyes swayed from side to side as he gently shook his head. "Cowards. All of you." He chuckled without humor. "This is exactly what Kaiba did, you know that? He lost his parents two years ago. Instead of letting any of us be there for him, he pushed us all away. He ran from us…from me. He re-appeared a few months before you showed up, and now nothin' is the same between us. The only one he really talks to anymore is Atemu…" Jou sighed and gave Yugi a small smile. "We can't even be alone together without it being awkward. We can't talk about how close we used to be or how close we aren't now."

"I'm sorry – "

"And now, you," Jou said, cutting him off. "You're leavin' and not even thinkin' about who you hurt. Have you even thought about how this is gonna affect Atemu?"

Yugi stopped what he was doing, because he hadn't thought about it. In fact, he had avoided thinking of him at all. "Atemu," he said, very low, "deserves the best. And that's something I can't give him right now."

"What a cop-out."

"This isn't a cop-out, Jou," he said, louder than he intended to. "Do you think I _want_ to do this? You think I want to leave this place?"

"Looks that way." He nodded his head towards the other's packed bags. "You don't have to do this, yknow…You don't have to leave us just to find you."

Yugi shook his head and, biting his lip, he grabbed his bags from the bed. "The thing is…" I whispered, "I do."

"Yug –"

"Can you…can you give this to him?" Suddenly, Yugi was in front of Jou, reaching out a hand towards him with an envelope in its center. "It'll explain everything to him."

Jou looked down at Yugi's hand, then back at him with a scowl. "No way. I'm not gonna help you break his heart."

"Jou," Yugi said, trying not to cry. "Please. Please give this to him. I need him to know…that I love him. I need him to know that." And even after the first few tears fell from both of their eyes, Yugi still begged him. "Please."

"Okay," Jou finally agreed, taking the letter from the other man's hand. He stared down at it in his grasp, as Yugi opened his bedroom door, though it wasn't his anymore.

"I hope you know what you're doin'." Yugi heard him call after him.

Yugi turned his head and looked back at Jou, the blond's eyes still glued to the letter in his hands. "The only thing I hope," Yugi said to him quietly, "is that he doesn't hate me as much as I hate myself for doing this."

And then Yugi walked out of the door – and out of everyone's lives.

* * *

"You're moving a bit fast, Atemu," Kaiba told his younger cousin. "Can we rationalize this for a moment? Put some serious thought into what you're doing."

The light in Atemu's eyes as they walked down the sidewalk was something Kaiba had never seen before, but that didn't take away all the doubt circling his mind. "I have thought about this. And I want Yugi in my life. It's been six months since I've met him, and I don't ever want to go that amount of time without him. I need this."

"No, you _want_ this," Kaiba admonished. "The last thing you and Yugi _need _at the moment is any unnecessary strain. You both need more time to heal, before rushing into something that could break either one of you. Or, more likely, both of you."

"Thanks for your concern, but I am not taking relationship advice from you, Seto."

Atemu called his cousin by his first name to lighten to blow of what he had just said, as well as show that he hadn't said it with any malice. But Kaiba knew he was right, regardless of how he said it. "Atemu," he warned one more time. "You're being impulsive and rash. That's not like you."

"That was the old me. Before I met Yugi."

Kaiba rolled his eyes, but kept his mouth shut. He didn't want this to happen. Not yet. He knew they were met to be together, yes. But for Atemu to make a decision such as this – it concerned him.

He sighed as his cousin began to tell him exactly what he planned to do. He didn't want Atemu to fall on his face, but who was he to question Atemu's decision? Like the other pointed out, it's not like he had a perfect relationship to judge someone else's on. In fact, his relationship with Jou…

He laughed to himself at that. What relationship was he talking about? The one he had with Jou two years ago? The one he threw away like trash when life got too hard and they got too serious…

If only he could take everything back. If only he could undo what was done. Then he wouldn't have lost the best thing he had in his life, and things wouldn't be like how they are now.

"Kaiba," Atemu called, elbowing the other in the arm. "You okay?"

"What?" The brunet blinked and glared at his cousin. "What do you want?"

"Nothing. You just spaced out for a minute."

Kaiba shrugged both his thoughts and Atemu off. "No, you were just boring me."

"Bite me," Atemu muttered, as he walked up the stairs of Yugi's shared apartment. "You could be a little more positive. I feel like my heart's about to explode, it's beating so fast."

"If only I were that lucky."

"Kaiba – "

"Relax. I'm just lightening the mood."

"Yeah, okay." Atemu looked at the door in front of him and then back into the blue eyes that held more doubts than he cared to see. "Wish me luck."

There was a moment's hesitation, in which Kaiba thought of how he should react to everything. But Atemu needed him, and that was good enough to make his mind up for him. Slowly, Kaiba lifted his arm and placed it on Atemu's shoulder. "Good luck," he said with a small squeeze, the only gesture he was willing to make to show his support.

And for Atemu, it was enough as well.

Taking the next step wasn't the easiest thing to do, and Atemu almost couldn't contain the butterflies in his stomach, but the thought of Yugi and about everything they could be made things not so scary. He tightened his fist around the item in his hand, inhaled a deep breath, and swung open the front door, the world written on his face.

"Guys?"

Atemu's voice rang out loudly in comparison to the silence of the kitchen. But even with the weight of his voice, the three men in front of him didn't acknowledge his presence. He scanned the room, carefully, taking in the scene. He first stopped on Malik, who was leaning back against the counter, arms crossed and his eyes watching the ground. Then he looked at Ryou, hunched over the table with his head in his hands. Then at Jou, who was sitting besides Ryou, playing with something in his hands.

"Hey," Atemu said, his stomach turning in an entirely different kind of way. "What's wrong with everyone?"

When no one answered him again, Kaiba stepped out from behind Atemu and moved further into the house to access the situation. "What's going on?" the brunet demanded loud enough for them all to look up.

Jou glanced from one relative to the next from between his bangs, then looked back at the letter he held. Both Atemu and Kaiba followed his gaze, and it took both of them only a second to guess what it was.

"No," Atemu said quietly, looking back at Jou. "He didn't?"

It sounded more like a plea, then a question, and when Atemu didn't get a response from anybody in the room, he felt the seams in his heart split, one by one.

"No, no, God, no."

Both Ryou and Malik looked away from him, not able to face what was happening before them. Jou was the only one who had to strength to open his mouth. "I'm sorry, Atemu."

The way Jou's words made Atemu recoil – a strangled sob bubbling from the broken man's mouth – was enough to make Ryou stand up and walk out of the kitchen. Moments later, they heard a door slam close.

A heart-wrenching and utter silence overcame the entire house after that, and Atemu could feel every fiber that made him who he was pull him into only one direction.

Kaiba tried to grab his arm when he began to walk past him, but he shook the hand off violently and kept moving until he was out of the kitchen and outside of Yugi's bedroom door.

He stared at the gold doorknob for a long time, before he was able to curl his fingers around it. His heart shivered at its bitter cold touch, and he almost didn't want to turn it – but he did and an empty room is what greeted him. The black sheets and covers that had cocooned his body alongside Yugi's the prior night were gone. The nightstand was void of Yugi's hair products and brush – the one with the red handle that Yugi had always used to make his hair as soft as it was. The drawers were all pulled out and Yugi's clothes were missing – down to every last sock. But worst of all, all the memories they had created in this room were gone, leaving a lifeless, noiseless room, surrounded by four empty walls.

There was nothing. Absolutely nothing. And the only sound was the echo of the ring in Atemu's hand dropping to the floor.

* * *

_To Be Continued..._

* * *

Reviews/comments appreciated as always.


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